When the video game Mass Effect was first released 14 years ago, players fell in love with the sci-fi adventure and its decision-making mechanics that drastically shaped the game's story. One of the series' best-known features is in the variety of romances available to protagonist Commander Shepard, spanning a range of both species and gender.
For a game released in the early 2000s, Mass Effect's wide array of love interests was seen as revolutionary for the time being, helping to shape romances in similar games of its caliber. Now that Mass Effect: Legendary Edition has released the full trilogy for modern consoles, fans of the original have gone back to reflect on their favorite love interests.
Steve Cortez
First introduced in Mass Effect 3, Steve Cortez was unique in that he was the only male love interest exclusively for Male Shepard. Gay male fans of the series, who had struggled to find representation in the games' many romantic options, were happy to see Bioware make progress when it came to inclusion.
As a pilot grieving the loss of his husband Robert at the hands of the Collectors, Steve offers plenty of potential when it comes to his character arc. Unfortunately, he's only given one game to develop and can even die if players don't play their cards right.
Ashley Williams
The original Mass Effect had three love interests for Commander Shepard, with male Shepard having the option to romance Ashley Williams, a powerful and confident human soldier. While Ashley starts off holding prejudiced views towards the other aliens of the Citadel, the first game sees her mature into a more accepting individual.
If Ashley survives the end of Mass Effect, players can resume their romance with her in the third game. Otherwise, she ultimately dies a hero and receives posthumous honors for her bravery.
Kaidan Alenko
As one of the original Mass Effect romance options for Female Shepard, Kaidan may seem to be a little vanilla at first glance. Players getting to know him ultimately gain deeper insight into Kaidan's strong sense of justice and his enhanced biotic abilities.
Towards the climax of the first game, Shepard is forced into a sadistic choice in Virmire: save Kaidan or let him die in favor of Ashley. Players who save Kaidan get to continue their romance with him in Mass Effect 3, where he also becomes an option for Male Shepard.
Kelly Chambers
Mass Effect 2 offers players plenty of new romance options for Shepard to choose from. Amongst them is psychologist and yeoman Kelly Chambers, who serves as the series' first bisexual romance option to not be an alien.
While her relationship with Shepard starts off as merely professional, players can choose to become more flirtatious towards her as the game progresses. If she survives the final mission of Mass Effect 2, Kelly officially enters a relationship with Shepard while attempting to hide from Cerberus in Mass Effect 3.
Miranda Lawson
As a respected officer within the organization Cerberus, Miranda Lawson was genetically engineered to be the perfect woman. Her demeanor puts her at odds with Shepard and can build into sexual tension if the player has chosen to play as Male Shepard.
Underneath her perfect exterior, however, Miranda harbors plenty of insecurities as well as a protective side towards her twin sister Oriana. Ultimately, Miranda chooses her loyalty to Shepard over Cerberus and comes into her own as a trusted companion.
Tali'Zorah
For quarian pilgrim Tali'Zorah, her life changed dramatically when she met Shepard in the first Mass Effect. As a young mechanical prodigy, Tali's abilities come in handy when Shepard needs her help to prove that respected Spectre Saren Arterius has gone rogue.
As Tali matures, she forms a bond with Shepard that can eventually blossom into romantic feelings if the player is Male Shepard. Her confession is endearingly awkward as she expresses a desire to become intimate with him, ultimately allowing Shepard to see her face.
Jack
A powerful Mass Effect biotic with abilities rivaling her peers, Jack's striking appearance and hot-headed personality made her an immediate fan favorite. Over the course of Mass Effect 2 and 3, Jack works through her traumatic past with the help of Shepard and eventually becomes a teacher.
Jack's sexuality, however, remains a sore spot with many LGBTQ+ fans of the series. While Jack herself was initially conceived as a pansexual character, the final game sees her as exclusively a romantic option for Male Shepard.
Thane Krios
Despite being the most feared assassin in the galaxy, Thane Krios is a man of conscience who prays for his own victims. Estranged from his son Kolyat and haunted by the death of his wife, Thane can find love again in Female Shepard.
Unfortunately, a romance with Thane always comes to an inevitable tragic end. Throughout Mass Effect 2, Thane opens up to Shepard about his struggles with Kepral's Syndrome, a degenerative disease aggravated by humid climates. He ultimately passes away in Mass Effect 3, with Shepard and Kolyat by his side.
Liara T'Soni
Liara caught the attention of gamers and media outlets alike in the first Mass Effect not only because she was the only alien love interest at the time but also because she was available to Shepard regardless of gender. As the first major same gender romance choice in gaming, Liara paved the way for other LGBTQ+ characters in video games.
While Liara is not a main squad member in Mass Effect 2, the "Lair of the Shadow Broker" DLC adds her back in for another adventure with Shepard. Players of the Legendary Edition get this DLC for free amongst many other perks from the Mass Effect rerelease, allowing them more time with Liara.
Garrus Vakarian
Players first met Garrus Vakarian in the first Mass Effect, where they immediately fell in love with him. His fans demanded that he be included as one of Shepard's romance options and were delighted to see Bioware fulfill the request in Mass Effect 2 and 3.
Known as "Shakarian" by the fandom, the relationship between Shepard and Garrus is the ultimate for fans of slow-burn romance. Garrus himself has become so ubiquitous that when gamers think about Mass Effect, he is one of the first characters to come to mind.