12 Years Later, It’s Time To Admit That Mass Effect 3 Isn’t The Weakest Of The Trilogy

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As a whole, the Mass Effect trilogy tells a complete story about Commander Shepard, the Reapers, and the resilient nature of both organic and artificial life in the Milky Way Galaxy. Each game has its role in the overarching narrative, and the first game has benefited a lot from the Legendary Edition, fixing much of its original clunkiness. So, although it receives plenty of praise, it might be time to admit that Mass Effect 3 is better than ME2.

Players have a lot of love for ME2. It’s fun to play, and it’s by no means a bad game. ME1 has been fun from the beginning, but having the Legendary Edition polish its gameplay gave it a big boost. Then, Mass Effect 3 tends to bear the brunt of the hate that the trilogy receives, and a lot of that is due to the ending that left many players feeling like their choices throughout the series didn’t matter much in the end. However, ME3 played its role in the trilogy, and opinions about the ending shouldn’t taint the game.

Mass Effect 3 Is Better In Hindsight

It Has A Role And Fulfills It

In terms of the story of the trilogy as a whole, Mass Effect 3 has a larger role to play compared to ME2, and even ME1, considering this is where the Reaper invasion begins in earnest. Time is running out to save organic life in the Milky Way, and the final hope in Mass Effect 3 is the Crucible and Shepard’s ability to activate it. Aside from that, Shepard needs to build enough support and strength to conduct a final push against the Reapers, after enduring endless doubt when they warned the Council that this threat was coming.

The atmosphere in ME3 is well-done, and it builds the feeling of despair that a lot of people living in the Milky Way had at that point, especially those who have been relocated to the Citadel for their safety. Simply walking around each area and listening to the conversations being had in the background add to the weight of the situation, and in the middle of it all, there’s still some hope. Shepard is going around and helping as much as possible, and each victory brings hope that the Reapers can be defeated.

There’s a lot of emotional work done by ME3 to bring the trilogy to its end, even if the Mass Effect 3 endings aren’t looked upon too favorably. It’s not easy to conclude a tale with epic proportions like ME, and looking back 12 years later, ME3 did a decent job of finishing the story of the Reapers, Shepard, and the Milky Way Galaxy. It could have been better, but it’s almost impossible to find a game and say that it has no room for improvement. All things considered, it isn’t the worst game in the trilogy.

Mass Effect 2 Is One Big Side Quest

It Revolves Around Companions

Martin Sheen as the Illusive Man in Mass Effect 2.

Mass Effect 2 starts with the destruction of the Normandy, and through working to make sure their crew escapes, Shepard ends up dying. This series of events is done to essentially force Shepard to work for Cerberus, a paramilitary group with humanity-first ideals, which is often seen as an enemy faction with an extreme agenda. Since Cerberus put in the effort to revive Shepard, its leader, the Illusive Man, requests that Shepard help him with a task related to the Reapers, but they’ll need more allies first.

Garrus, Grunt, Jack, Mordin, Miranda, Tali, Thane, and Legion from Mass Effect 2.

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The set-up of Mass Effect 2 gives it more of a side quest role in the trilogy. That’s not to say that there isn’t a lot to love in this game, but it’s less connected to the overarching story of the Reapers when compared to ME1 and ME3. When looking at what each game adds to the narrative, ME2 would be the worst of the three because it’s more of a recruitment side quest that only connects to the Reapers at the end via the suicide mission in the Collector Base.

With a heavy focus on recruiting companions and earning their loyalty, Mass Effect 2 is a great option for players who enjoy interacting with the trilogy’s companions. It also starts to open up more romance options, as well as allows Shepard to gain a better understanding of their crew, both old and new members. Then, they work together to complete a mission that should be nearly impossible, and it’s only through loyalty, trust, and understanding that the entire crew can live.

Every Game In The Trilogy Has Its Strengths

There’s Something For Every Player

Each Mass Effect game has a role to play, and the focus changing from one entry to the next brings in elements that mean that every player can find something they enjoy in the trilogy. ME1 introduces the threat of the Reapers and their ability to take control of people through indoctrination. At the same time, the game does a lot of work to start laying the foundation for world-building, showing humanity working with other races in the future and striving to earn a place on the Citadel Council.

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Then, ME2 puts in more world-building effort to show various cultures as Shepard learns about their companions and works to earn their loyalty before a deadly mission. Shepard also gets to see more planets in ME2, exposing them to locations that they didn’t have a chance to visit in the first game. Even with the feeling of being a perpetual side quest, ME2 still manages to contribute to the trilogy through world-building and fostering strong bonds between members of the Normandy, who work together despite their differences and disagreements.

There’s a lot to enjoy in each game of the Mass Effect trilogy, and hopefully the next game that’s in development will have the same charm and sense of adventure as the original games. Mass Effect 3 receives a lot of criticism, with much of it being directed at the ending, but in the grand scheme of the trilogy, it fulfills its role, and it does so in a meaningful fashion. Perhaps the most interesting piece of this game moving forward is the potential of an ending being canonized in Mass Effect 3 to lead into the next game.

Mass Effect 3

Platform(s): PC , Xbox 360 , Nintendo Wii U , PS3
Released: March 6, 2012
Developer(s): BioWare
Publisher(s): Electronic Arts
Multiplayer: Online Multiplayer
Engine: Unreal Engine 3
ESRB: M for Mature: Blood, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence