According to developers, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition will add more cover to the first game's boss fights and combat encounters. The upcoming title will remaster the original Mass Effect trilogy, which was created by developer BioWare and released between 2007 and 2012. The sci-fi role-playing trilogy puts players in the role of Commander Shepard, a space-faring soldier who leads a team of loyal followers throughout the galaxy in order to stop an apocalyptic threat.
Alongside improved graphics and performance, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition promises to deliver some truly drastic updates to the now decade-old trilogy. Particular attention will be given to the first Mass Effect title, a game whose slower and more numbers-based combat system doesn't quite fit with its sequels' fast-paced shooter action. Alongside changes to the gameplay, some quality-of-life changes will be made to Mass Effect such as shortening the game's notoriously long elevator rides or allowing players to skip the ride completely.
In an interview with Game Informer, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition developers Mac Walters and Kevin Meek explained that the first game's boss fights will receive some tweaks. One notable problem with the game's combat is a lack of cover for players to hide behind, making the cover-based combat much more challenging. Walters and Meek explain that they were able to slightly alter the layout of some levels to accommodate more cover, particularly in the infamously tough boss fight against Matriarch Benezia. These additional pieces of architecture to hide behind will improve the flow of certain combat sequences without changing the game's structure too drastically.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition looks to breathe new life into one of the greatest sci-fi role-playing trilogies ever made. Graphics have received a current-gen overhaul, with improvements such as sharper image quality, emboldened colors, and enhanced character models making the trilogy look brand new. Additional aesthetic and cinematic changes will also be made to ensure that the entire trilogy is stylistically consistent both in-game and in cutscenes. One prominent change to Mass Effect 2 will change certain camera angles which, in the original release, put gratuitous emphasis on Miranda Lawson's butt.
The Mass Effect trilogy is beloved by sci-fi fans, and it is often regarded as one of the greatest role-playing experiences in all of gaming. Even the end of Mass Effect 3, which was highly divisive upon release, is looked upon more fondly nearly a decade after release. Mass Effect: Legendary Edition has the potential to draw a whole new audience into the series while also giving long-time fans a fresh way to experience the story. Subtle gameplay changes, such as adding more cover to the first game's battles, will help bridge the gap between the three games without totally changing the core experience.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition will release on May 14 for PS4, Xbox One and PC.
Source: Game Informer