Every Mass Effect game ranked worst to best

With EA making the unfortunate decision to shut down BioWare, it feels like the perfect time to review and list every Mass Effect game ranked worst to best.

BioWare’s pedigree speaks for itself, having developed some of the best RPGs of all time. You can easily make the argument that the Mass Effect franchise is undoubtedly their best.

First debuting as an Xbox 360 exclusive in 2007, Mass Effect immediately won us over with its world-building, storytelling, and characters. It helped, too, that it’s a surprisingly competent cover shooter as well.

BioWare would deliver two incredible sequels that built upon the original, offering improvements in nearly every way. So with that said, let’s honor one of the best gaming franchises of all time and find out which Mass Effect game is truly the best.

Mass Effect Galaxy

2009’s Mass Effect Galaxy is an iOS exclusive mobile game that feels nothing like the Mass Effect we all know and love.

Sure, there are some familiar characters such as Jacob Taylor and Miranda Lawson, but this honestly feels like an entirely different game that was reskinned to take place in the Mass Effect universe.

I cannot in good conscience recommend this to anyone, even the biggest Mass Effect fans.

Mass Effect Infiltrator

The good news is that 2012’s Mass Effect Infiltrator actually feels like a Mass Effect game. The bad news is that it’s yet another mobile game, held back by the limitations of those platforms.

At launch, the game wasn’t in the best shape, but post-launch updates were able to help the game achieve at least a playable state. The controls were far from ideal, but then again, how can you make traditional Mass Effect gameplay work on a mobile device in the early 2010s? You couldn’t, but at least Infiltrator gave it an honest attempt.

Mass Effect Andromeda

Okay, now we’re getting into the real deal Mass Effect games here. That said, Andromeda still has its faults that make it the lowest “traditional” entry on our list of every Mass Effect game ranked.

Believe it or not, the gameplay found here is some of the best in the franchise. Not only does it feel great, but the game both encourages and rewards you for tinkering with various loadouts and builds.

Unfortunately, combat isn’t the franchise’s best selling point. It’s the storytelling and characters, and that’s where things fall short. From wonky animations at launch to poor writing and acting, Mass Effect Andromeda doesn’t hold a candle to the original trilogy.

Mass Effect 3

95% of Mass Effect 3 is complete perfection. Every storyline, every decision, every choice all comes to this. It’s a wonderful send-off to so many of the characters we fell in love with over the years.

Except for, you could say, the most important one.

The ending of Mass Effect 3 remains somewhat controversial, but post-launch updates have done well to improve things. Is it perfect? No, but it’s a wonderful send-off to all the characters we spent hundreds of hours with. Special shout-out to the Tuchanka campaign, which delivers perfect storytelling and non-stop action.

Mass Effect

The one where it all began.

There are certain aspects of Mass Effect that haven’t aged well. Using the Mako is, to put it lightly, annoying. Planets you’ll find off the beaten path are somewhat barren and far less interesting than following the main story. Combat is imperfect and somewhat clumsy at times.

None of that matters, though. Mass Effect is a beautiful game, with a beautiful story, and beautiful characters. It’s a game that lets you play as you see fit, suffer consequences for your actions, and truly get lost in its world. It’s a game that you can’t help but fall in love with despite its faults. It’s a game that not only launched a franchise, but in some ways, a new generation of RPGs and gaming as a whole. Mass Effect is pure magic through and through, and yet, it’s not the best Mass Effect game.

Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect 2 improves on its predecessor in just about every possible way. Yes, it makes some changes to its combat, notably making it feel less like a traditional RPG and more like a third-person shooter, but it doesn’t sacrifice any of the dialogue, storytelling, or characters to do so.

The combat and exploration in the original Mass Effect was easily the worst part of the game, so BioWare made some pretty massive changes to address those. You’re no longer exploring somewhat lifeless planets with the Mako. Instead, you’re scanning planets for resources. Okay, so not every change is a miss, though I spent countless hours scanning everything back in the day to leave no stone unturned.

To make a long story short, Mass Effect 2 knows what works in the original and what doesn’t, fixing what needs to be addressed and perfecting what already works. The story is bigger, the stakes are higher, and the gameplay feels perfect. It’s one of the best games ever made.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition

Is it cheating to say that the modern remaster collection of the Mass Effect trilogy is the best Mass Effect game of all time? Probably, but it’s also true.

This is the way every Mass Effect game was meant to be played. I’m not just talking about the graphical updates, but also the gameplay itself, especially combat and vehicle handling. It gives the original Mass Effect a much-needed facelift while retaining the heart, charm, and storytelling that made it so great. Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3 are as good as ever.

I guess that, in a way, it’s only fitting that the Legendary Edition tops our list of every Mass Effect game ranked; the original trilogy is just that good.

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