One Massive Effect.

Let’s talk about Mass Effect. Spoilers (Obvs.) 

It flew under my radar a little bit. Which meant that I hadn’t played it, or even watch someone play it until about a month ago.

Everyone on the internet was freaking out over a little thing called Mass effect Andromeda, and the trailer looked so freaking cool.

But I’m not one to start halfway through a series, I didn’t think I could play Mass effect Andromeda unless I knew a little about the other three games. It wasn’t a planned thing, I just decided that a bit of backstory would be nice.

With a month until Andromeda came out, that was my challenge, play all three Mass Effect games. In a month.

I started with Mass Effect 2, mostly because that game was highly recommended, mainly because it was free on Origin. I know it’s not chronological, and I regret it.

Remember, I was a Mass Effect newbie. I didn’t know what N7 meant, or what a spectre was or the difference between a Salarian and a salmon.

Do you remember the beginning of Mass Effect 2? I know it’s been a while so let me refresh your memory. It opens with a simple spaceship; the Normandy, one thing leads to another and then you’re dead.  I thought I broke the game, the main character doesn’t die in the first hour of a video game.

But in Mass Effect, there are no rules. 

So I played 200 hours in just over 14 days. I lived and breathed this game. I fell in love (Garrus, obviously) and killed my friends (Miranda, obviously). I failed, and I succeeded. I gathered my crew, gained their trust and saved (most) of their lives.

I couldn’t go back. So I played Mass Effect 3, and the choices got harder, I felt personally involved. The nostalgia, even from characters I was playing with a week ago, was intense.

There was that choice. Where I left my computer running for a couple of hours as I went for a walk to try and make my decision. This game made me think about the meaning of life, it made me question my views on morality.

Then it ended, only 40 hours later. I felt cheated, I looked up 5-year-old YouTube rants so I knew I wasn’t alone in my frustration.

Just in time for Mass Effect: Andromeda.

I get why some people didn’t like it. But I loved it, not as much as the previous games, but still, I sat and thought about my life at the end.

And isn’t that what a good game should do? What good art should do?

The Mass Effect trilogy makes you question your beliefs, it challenges you and engages you. I cried and threw my controller across the room. The Mass Effect trilogy becomes a part of your life.

Mass Effect: Andromeda didn’t do that. But it tried to. As a game, Andromeda is fun, the laser lance is fun, the jetpack is fun, exploring in the nomad is fun. The characters are interesting, and the storyline is okay if a little predictable. 

Exploring space is always going to be fun, but this Mass Effect didn’t have any big choices, and that I think, was its biggest mistake.