Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
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  1. May 13, 2021
    100
    Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is a phenomenal remaster of the original trilogy, with enough changes to not only feel fresh, but with enough quality-of-life improvements to truly call this the definitive way to play the Mass Effect trilogy.
  2. May 26, 2021
    92
    Mass Effect Legendary Edition offers a substantial upgrade over the original trilogy, even though the gameplay is still a bit outdated to today's standards. The trilogy still has a brilliant story and the deep RPG experience that Bioware became famous for. With around 100 hours of content, ridiculous replay value, and a cast of unforgettable characters Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a must-play for every fan of science-fiction and RPGs.
  3. May 24, 2021
    92
    All in all this remaster is a fresh coat of polish on an already solid foundation, improving the visual and aural quality of the games (Most notably the original Mass Effect) as well as adding multiple quality of life changes and improvements that make certain that Mass Effect Legendary Edition will have fans new and old ready to hunt down Saren, travel past the Omega-4 Relay, and take Earth back, some all over again, and some for the very first time.
  4. Jun 14, 2021
    91
    These games still hold up today, and while the visual improvements do not make the games feel “Next-Gen”, they definitely bring the games up to date and make them more than playable. The Mass Effect Legendary Edition is the perfect way for both longtime fans and series newcomers alike to experience one of the finest franchises in gaming history.
  5. Jul 6, 2021
    90
    Mass Effect Legendary Edition is not just a love letter to fans, but also a great gift that BioWare is making to newcomers to the series. Although some of the issues present in the original games haven't been fixed, there are so many improvements to the first two Mass Effect titles that I'm willing to overlook the minor bugs. The entire trilogy sends players throughout this amazing sci-fi universe that feels alive and vibrant everywhere you look. Perhaps these games should have been remastered separately to get the attention they deserve, but having the entire trilogy in a single bundle that's perfectly playable nearly 15 years after the release of the first game is surely convenient.
  6. Jun 30, 2021
    90
    Mass Effect 2's Legendary Edition upgrades the graphics to near-modern standards and lets us immerse ourselves in the best game in BioWare's epic RPG trilogy all over again.
  7. Jun 18, 2021
    90
    If we’re setting off to new horizons and, eventually, a new Mass Effect, then Mass Effect Legendary Edition serves as a solid collection of this trilogy. This is everything these three games were, and still are to many fans, preserved for time. Just like the capsule Liara makes during Mass Effect 3, this is what can hopefully stand the test of time and carry what this trilogy is—its characters, its worlds, and its stories—forward for ages to come.
  8. May 27, 2021
    90
    These games were BioWare at the height of their powers. BioWare showed us the culmination of everything they learned from their previous games and created a story truly epic in scale…and they actually pulled it off. It devastates me, then, to know these games are from a bygone era. The BioWare which crafted these games simply doesn’t exist anymore. Replaying these three titles continues to hammer that point home. I know I’m cherishing every second I’m spending within Legendary Edition. These games are a treasure and deserve to be recognized as such.
  9. May 24, 2021
    90
    The Mass Effect trilogy is the crown jewel of BioWare’s storied history, and Mass Effect: Legendary Edition gives one of gaming’s best trilogies the caring attention it deserves and delivers it with numerous changes that service the games as a whole very well.
  10. May 21, 2021
    90
    Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a fantastic remaster of an already fantastic trilogy that's well worth the money.
  11. May 18, 2021
    90
    The Legendary Edition is a worthy remaster to carry Commander Shepards Legacy into the future. You can feel in every corner the love and passion of the Bioware developers who poured their hearts into this project. With it’s remarkable story, the well written characters and epic moments Mass Effect is still one of the best SciFi worlds video games have to offer.
  12. May 17, 2021
    90
    Mass Effect: Legendary Edition updates the classic trilogy to modern standards with vibrant visuals and streamlined controls. The collection provides the perfect way to experience the epic saga.
  13. Jul 1, 2021
    88
    Beautiful, engaging and every bit as fun as it was nearly 15 years ago, Mass Effect Legendary Edition lives up to the name. It's a gorgeous, robust title that will make veterans remember how much they enjoyed the series while giving newcomers a memorable ride for the first time. There's no question you should pick this up if you fall into either category because Commander Shepard deserves that much attention.
  14. May 13, 2021
    87
    Not every wrinkle can be hidden by a skillful make-up, but the in-game feeling is very good, and impersonating Commander Shepard gives the same vibrant feelings of the past. Saving the galaxy from the Reapers has never looked so cool.
  15. May 17, 2021
    85
    Anyone who grew up on bread and science fiction cannot fail to know the saga of Mass Effect and its protagonist, Captain Shepard. In this Mass Effect: Legendary Edition all his deeds and his colorful crew are enclosed, all polished for the occasion.
  16. May 14, 2021
    85
    The RPG-shooter gameplay is outmoded, yet the remaster remains a timeless masterpiece for fans of epic stories.
  17. May 13, 2021
    85
    Mass Effect Legendary Edition fulfills its mission, it allows you to discover or rediscover a monument of video games in excellent conditions. This remaster doesn't just give the graphics an update, as is too often the case, or even concentrate the games and almost all of their DLC in a single package, it actively improves the gameplay experience by correcting some of the flaws that plagued the first title in the trilogy, even if it could have gone further at times. Explore the galaxy with Commander Shepard and his crew in an adventure of extraordinary quality that's just as long-lasting. This is a game not to be missed by any sci-fi, space opera or western RPG fan, and even if there are a few wrinkles, it doesn't spoil the experience.
  18. May 13, 2021
    85
    This is BioWare firing — for the most part — on all cylanders and hopefully is the dawn of a new resurgence of the franchise (fingers crossed for EA Play 2021!). Get in, get immersed, explore the galaxy and defend it from a once in a 50,000 year occurence. Then head on over to Andromeda to appreciate that before the next adventures in the Sol system take place.
  19. May 28, 2021
    82
    Certainly not the boldest or most comprehensive remaster one could wish for, but still an ideal way for both newcomers and veterans alike to experience the epic journey that is the original Mass Effect trilogy in 2021.
  20. May 17, 2021
    82
    The Legendary Edition is the best way to experience one of the most fascinating space opera in all of gaming, with refined visuals and also a few gameplay improvements for the first Mass Effect. There are still a couple of bugs and technical issues that needs to be addressed, but overall it's a solid remaster.
  21. CD-Action
    Dec 7, 2021
    80
    Some things about Legendary Edition disappointed or irritated me (no support for the mods, no option to import save files or characters from the original games, no multiplayer in ME3, Denuvo, some bugs and glitches) but as an avid fan who played through the trilogy many times, I enjoyed the remasters immensely. [07/2021, p.28]
  22. May 24, 2021
    80
    This Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a good deal! Well yes, the most grumpy will talk about the absence of a precise DLC, the disappearance of the multiplayer mode of Mass Effect 3, but all of this doesn't really weigh much in relation to the quantity and quality of what is offered to us.
  23. May 21, 2021
    80
    Mass Effect Legendary Edition is still essentially what a remaster ought to be. It remains faithful to the original, emphasizing everything fans loved or loved to poke fun at while making necessary improvements that make gameplay far more enjoyable on contemporary systems. The inclusion of all three games, the new import system in the unified launcher, and the unified character creation options allows the series to feel like a single, cohesive story experience. Though not without bugs, and though Mass Effect 1 still suffers from its age, Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a great way for veterans to revisit the series and new fans to dive in for the first time - and it seems almost a certainty that Mass Effect Legendary Edition will renew interest in the franchise as work begins on Mass Effect 4.
  24. May 17, 2021
    80
    The good news first: the games received a graphical update, making them look visually up to date. Oddly enough, this improvement also has a downside: the unique atmosphere that characterized the first part of the series is gone. The dark menace is completely gone, and gloomy surroundings suddenly look like sunny vacation resorts - if you think away the skewered inhabitants. So are we disappointed with this Remastered Edition? Not at all. The battles remain fantastic: is a sniper hiding behind a wall? Let one of your (computer-controlled) allies throw him into the air and then practice the better clay-pigeon shooting. All this action is embedded in an epic story that can compete with the better Star Trek movie, where the painful choices are made by you.
  25. May 14, 2021
    80
    Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a generous compilation. Embedding with it all the DLC released during the trilogy, some of which are frankly memorable and greatly improving the visuals of the first game, this edition is to date the best way to discover or rediscover the cult saga of Bioware. However, remaster and not remake requires, newcomers and veterans alike will encounter the heaviness of yesteryear on the first episode, with its imprecise cover system, its heavy movements, its loads a little too numerous or its painful inventory.
  26. Jun 16, 2021
    75
    Look, Mass Effect Legendary Edition isn’t bad. It’s good. It’s as good as a revamping of the original series all delivered in one sleek package can be. I’m just not sure who has been asking for that.
  27. Jun 9, 2021
    75
    Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is good enough to be considered a decent collection for fans of this universe or anyone who has never played as Captain Shepard before. If you wished for more substantial improvements, changes, revelations or any supplemental content, you’re in for a disappointment.
  28. May 13, 2021
    75
    While retaining some flaws of the original games, Mass Effect Legendary Edition (and specifically ME1’s remaster and modern take on the action) is worth exploring once again for the fans, and for those who’ve always wondered what was so special about the franchise and never gave it a try.
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  1. May 13, 2021
    So the saying goes, you can’t step into the same river twice, but Mass Effect Legendary Edition is certainly going to make one hell of an attempt at it.
  2. May 19, 2021
    Playing Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a constant see-saw of noticing an improvement, then wishing it went further. You can sprint outside combat, but only for like three seconds. There's a dedicated melee button, yet no way to separate the sprint and take cover actions to separate keys. You can skip the elevator rides, which are the only way to hear banter that could be filling the stretches where you jog from place to place. The graphics are better, but there's no FOV slider. [Mass Effect 1 score = 77]
  3. May 13, 2021
    The key takeaway is that Mass Effect fans will be happy; this is the same Mass Effect we fell in love with all those years ago, painstakingly polished and wrapped up in a neat ribbon. To those who have never played before, though, fair warning: for all its charm, Mass Effect Legendary Edition still plays like a game from the ’00s. But if you like RPG games with rich sci-fi settings then you’ll have a ball. [Impressions]
  4. Ultimately, I think my disappointment stems more from the fact that we just can't go to town with with Mass Effect's PC settings here, and make it look as 'legendary' as its remastered subtitle implies. After all, part of the reason why a lot of us play on PC in the first place rather than on console is so we can really push the boat out on games like this, precisely because of our more powerful hardware. Alas, Mass Effect Legendary Edition appears to be very much a 'one size fits all' kind of remaster. Bioware have put a lot of work into making all three games look as new and shiny as they do, but at the same time I can't help but feel like the PC version in particular could have been shown a little bit more love. [PC Impressions]
User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 518 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. May 16, 2021
    10
    UPD. We have patch!! Thanks to EA and Bioware! Now, finally, I can play in the best videogame ever

    Russian players have the worst dubbing in
    UPD. We have patch!! Thanks to EA and Bioware! Now, finally, I can play in the best videogame ever

    Russian players have the worst dubbing in video game history. Please add the ability to play in the original ENG voice acting with RUS subtitles
    Full Review »
  2. May 16, 2021
    0
    No choice language setup. Russian voice in ME1 it's totally **** EA do you check it out? How do you accept it or do you think russian playersNo choice language setup. Russian voice in ME1 it's totally **** EA do you check it out? How do you accept it or do you think russian players are stupid? It's worst localization ever had Full Review »
  3. May 22, 2021
    4
    Стрёмные пластмассовые лица, старые баги, забили на нормальную локализацию. Ленивый ремастер за полный ценник ААА игры.Стрёмные пластмассовые лица, старые баги, забили на нормальную локализацию. Ленивый ремастер за полный ценник ААА игры.