Mass Effect Legendary Edition remaster trilogy

[Scarlet Lilith]

They admitted years ago that Final Fantasy The Spirit Within was their biggest inspiration for making Mass effect.

No way, just now way! They used some of it for art references, but that's about it, even says so in the article you posted. Syd Mead had a much bigger impact alone.

 

[Morpheus Kitami]

Oh, yeah, I see the artistic similarities between the two. If nothing else, it seems they took their fashion tips from Final Fantasy. You'd think more of these people with money to burn would hire fashion designers to work on their sci-fi projects. Space: 1999 did it, and they're the only ones I can think of who did it. Most of their designs are already out of this world to begin with, might as well make it official.

 

[Wyatt_Derp]

They'll finally fix the ending to 3. But instead of red, blue, green we'll get yellow, brown, and pink.

 

[Riddler]

They'll finally fix the ending to 3. But instead of red, blue, green we'll get yellow, brown, and pink.

What are you talking about? It will obviously be blue, pink and white:

 

[Assisted Living Godzilla]

They admitted years ago that Final Fantasy The Spirit Within was their biggest inspiration for making Mass effect.

No way, just now way! They used some of it for art references, but that's about it, even says so in the article you posted. Syd Mead had a much bigger impact alone.

Yeah, there's Syd Mead art that basically looks like it was concept art for the first game.

 

[vortex]

https://www.reddit.com/r/MassEffectAndromeda/comments/habhbi/me_remaster_here_is_what_i_know/
ME

Spoiler

1. Major graphical and game play changes. Gameplay is more in line with Andromeda fluidity but instead of the original weapon and armor systems in that game its more streamlined like ME3. However this game has the least robust gameplay of the three in the remaster.
   
   
2. The change in gameplay has also altered some of the level design and "Boss Battles". Beneziah is no longer in the room with the Rachni Queen it is instead in a more open environment both of Sarens battles have had the environments expanded to offer better options for gameplay.
   
   
3. The planet exploration from ME1 has been changed to be more in line with ME3 planet scanning. However there are still a few planets to land on. Do not expect Andromeda size open worlds. I would say every planet combined is about equal to EOS in terms of size and areas to explore. This game is still a very linear experience.
   
   
4. Galaxy Map and Galaxy Exploration is ME:3 version but with more to explore in this remaster.
   
   
5. If I had to make a comparison the game graphical looks similar to DA:I. Its not a "Next Gen" title but Mass Effect remade in the "Current Gen" Frostbite Engine. Character models look good but look even better in the ME2 and 3 versions of the Remaster.
   
   
6. Cut quests from the original game have been added to the remaster. Maybe about 2-3 hours of gameplay. Saren has more backstory shown through cutscenes.
   
   
7. Shepards Cabin has been added for ME1. Companions are no longer stashed in the "Cargo Hold".
   
   
8. The "Sacrifice" scene has new cutscenes added to show the fates of the squad member from their perspective. You are also able to start romances earlier and if you are romancing the one who was not left behind there is an added moment after with that particular love interest. I was told its one of the few moments that Shepard is "vulnerable".
   
   
9. Bring Down the Sky and Pinnacle Station are included in the remaster as the base game and not DLC.
   
   
10. Hub areas are more lively. On the Citadel there is more NPC interactions, ambient conversations and the clubs/c-sec and certain areas of the presidium are also completely redesigned to give it a fresh look and feel.
    

ME2

Spoiler

1. Major graphical and game play changes like ME1. Gameplay is more in line with Andromeda fluidity but instead of the robust weapon and armor systems in that game its more streamlined like ME3.
   
   
2. Character models are noticeably improved from the ME1 Remaster. Graphically it still is on par with DA:I overall.
   
   
3. Planet scanning is back but improved and more in line with ME3 than the original ME2 game. They have added more to the hub worlds instead of giving planets to explore. The Presidium and Wards from ME1 have been added with obvious environmental changes from the aftermath of ME1. Parts of Omega that was cut from the base game has been added to the remaster.
   
   
4. All of the DLC from the base game has been added into the remaster.
   
   
5. Cut quests and content have been re added. Also have been told that they have made the game "more adult" as in certain romance scenes/environments are no longer strategically "non nude". If you romanced Kaiden or Ashley from the first game there is extra content with those characters later in the epilogue of the game.
   
   
6. After you complete "Arrival" which only activates after you beat the main quests. They have added the extra content of Shepard turning him/herself in to the Alliance. Its during this "epilogue" that you can interact with Kaiden or Ashley briefly.
   

ME3

Spoiler

1. Like the previous two games this one also includes major graphical and game play changes. Gameplay is more in line with Andromeda fluidity but keeps the core ME3 inventory system.
   
   
2. You get to play an extremely brief "Prologue" as Admiral Anderson prior to the Reaper Invasion. This allows players to see a little bit of Earth prior to its destruction which was a major complaint from the original release.
   
   
3. Looks similar to ME2 Remaster Graphically. Character Models might have some incremental improvements but unless you view them side by side its hard to tell.
   
   
4. Planet and War Asset System returns but is easier to manage and you cannot unlock Asset Quests until you reach certain points in the game.
   
   
5. Like the previous two games they have added more to the Hubs.
   
   
6. All of the DLC from the base game has been added to the remaster and are considered main quests so you cant miss them. Some cut content has also been included. About five hours worth. Also something else that is new. If you play as Female Shepard you can also sleep with Aria after the Omega Mission as long as you are not currently in a relationship with anyone else. Apparently Aria doesn't like that. Like the ME2 Remaster they have made the game "more adult" as in certain romance scenes/environments are no longer strategically "non nude".
   
   
7. They have also added a bit more to the ending of the game. Any romance interest you have assuming they are still alive will be able to have a physical in person goodbye with Shepard before the final mission.
   
   
8. Ending has not been changed in any capacity. However some of the cut content is more towards the end of the game.

 

[Ontopoly]

They admitted years ago that Final Fantasy The Spirit Within was their biggest inspiration for making Mass effect.

No way, just now way! They used some of it for art references, but that's about it, even says so in the article you posted. Syd Mead had a much bigger impact alone.

Yeah, there's Syd Mead art that basically looks like it was concept art for the first game.

Syd Mead should be the unofficial concept artist for all futuristic games tbh. He's just so good, so stylish.

 

[Infinitron]

https://www.reddit.com/r/MassEffectAndromeda/comments/habhbi/me_remaster_here_is_what_i_know/
ME

Spoiler

1. Major graphical and game play changes. Gameplay is more in line with Andromeda fluidity but instead of the original weapon and armor systems in that game its more streamlined like ME3. However this game has the least robust gameplay of the three in the remaster.
   
   
2. The change in gameplay has also altered some of the level design and "Boss Battles". Beneziah is no longer in the room with the Rachni Queen it is instead in a more open environment both of Sarens battles have had the environments expanded to offer better options for gameplay.
   
   
3. The planet exploration from ME1 has been changed to be more in line with ME3 planet scanning. However there are still a few planets to land on. Do not expect Andromeda size open worlds. I would say every planet combined is about equal to EOS in terms of size and areas to explore. This game is still a very linear experience.
   
   
4. Galaxy Map and Galaxy Exploration is ME:3 version but with more to explore in this remaster.
   
   
5. If I had to make a comparison the game graphical looks similar to DA:I. Its not a "Next Gen" title but Mass Effect remade in the "Current Gen" Frostbite Engine. Character models look good but look even better in the ME2 and 3 versions of the Remaster.
   
   
6. Cut quests from the original game have been added to the remaster. Maybe about 2-3 hours of gameplay. Saren has more backstory shown through cutscenes.
   
   
7. Shepards Cabin has been added for ME1. Companions are no longer stashed in the "Cargo Hold".
   
   
8. The "Sacrifice" scene has new cutscenes added to show the fates of the squad member from their perspective. You are also able to start romances earlier and if you are romancing the one who was not left behind there is an added moment after with that particular love interest. I was told its one of the few moments that Shepard is "vulnerable".
   
   
9. Bring Down the Sky and Pinnacle Station are included in the remaster as the base game and not DLC.
   
   
10. Hub areas are more lively. On the Citadel there is more NPC interactions, ambient conversations and the clubs/c-sec and certain areas of the presidium are also completely redesigned to give it a fresh look and feel.

ME2

Spoiler

1. Major graphical and game play changes like ME1. Gameplay is more in line with Andromeda fluidity but instead of the robust weapon and armor systems in that game its more streamlined like ME3.
   
   
2. Character models are noticeably improved from the ME1 Remaster. Graphically it still is on par with DA:I overall.
   
   
3. Planet scanning is back but improved and more in line with ME3 than the original ME2 game. They have added more to the hub worlds instead of giving planets to explore. The Presidium and Wards from ME1 have been added with obvious environmental changes from the aftermath of ME1. Parts of Omega that was cut from the base game has been added to the remaster.
   
   
4. All of the DLC from the base game has been added into the remaster.
   
   
5. Cut quests and content have been re added. Also have been told that they have made the game "more adult" as in certain romance scenes/environments are no longer strategically "non nude". If you romanced Kaiden or Ashley from the first game there is extra content with those characters later in the epilogue of the game.
   
   
6. After you complete "Arrival" which only activates after you beat the main quests. They have added the extra content of Shepard turning him/herself in to the Alliance. Its during this "epilogue" that you can interact with Kaiden or Ashley briefly.

ME3

Spoiler

1. Like the previous two games this one also includes major graphical and game play changes. Gameplay is more in line with Andromeda fluidity but keeps the core ME3 inventory system.
   
   
2. You get to play an extremely brief "Prologue" as Admiral Anderson prior to the Reaper Invasion. This allows players to see a little bit of Earth prior to its destruction which was a major complaint from the original release.
   
   
3. Looks similar to ME2 Remaster Graphically. Character Models might have some incremental improvements but unless you view them side by side its hard to tell.
   
   
4. Planet and War Asset System returns but is easier to manage and you cannot unlock Asset Quests until you reach certain points in the game.
   
   
5. Like the previous two games they have added more to the Hubs.
   
   
6. All of the DLC from the base game has been added to the remaster and are considered main quests so you cant miss them. Some cut content has also been included. About five hours worth. Also something else that is new. If you play as Female Shepard you can also sleep with Aria after the Omega Mission as long as you are not currently in a relationship with anyone else. Apparently Aria doesn't like that. Like the ME2 Remaster they have made the game "more adult" as in certain romance scenes/environments are no longer strategically "non nude".
   
   
7. They have also added a bit more to the ending of the game. Any romance interest you have assuming they are still alive will be able to have a physical in person goodbye with Shepard before the final mission.
   
   
8. Ending has not been changed in any capacity. However some of the cut content is more towards the end of the game.

The new content stuff here makes me think it's fake.

 

[Assisted Living Godzilla]

It'd be interesting if the "remaster" was a remake.

Ideally there's some interesting things they could do in a remake of the series that's all packaged together and being thought of as a whole at one time. Namely actually paying off on the idea of Mass Effect as a series where your choices were meant to carry on and have a mass effect throughout the series. That's an idea that was pretty clearly dead as a fucking door nail in Mass Effect 2 when you kept getting notes on those throughline that they remembered that throughline was a thing, but

Do that. Make some gameplay improvements. Fix the open areas. Bring everything in line with the first game with it's whole '80s movie aesthetic and the synth soundtrack. It could be nice, although I'd guess they do the opposite and make a bunch of stupid moves.

Guess I shouldn't have waited so long to hit post if that Reddit in vortex post is true. That's sounds like a lot of stupid shit I'd kind of expect them to do.

 

[Ontopoly]

The new content stuff here makes me think it's fake.

Yes, there's no way they're going to get VAs back and things like that just for a remaster. They'll up the resolution, maybe let a third party up some textures if they aren't too greedy, maybe throw in the DLC and ship that for the new consoles.

 

[DalekFlay]

It's the "no longer non-nude" and changing the opening of ME3 that really stand out as fake to me, on top of them all sounding like way too much effort.

 

[wahrk]

There’s no way they’re going to completely overhaul the gameplay of ME1 (and the equipment system), much less do something similar for all three games. That seems far outside the scope of a “remaster”.

 

[moon knight]

Maybe it's too much effort in normal conditions, but they are probably trying to resuscitate an almost dead franchise.

 

[wahrk]

Maybe it's too much effort in normal conditions, but they are probably trying to resuscitate an almost dead franchise.

Maybe, but unless they’re planning on rewriting the entire ending to ME3, I’m not sure what good it would do. The damage was already done and remaking these games to be more in line with Andromeda (lol) isn’t going to revive Mass Effect. I think it’s more like they’re trying to wring the last bit of milk out of the dry udder, and I don’t see them going to these lengths just for that. Not when they could just slap a graphical update on them and still get fanboys to re-purchase them.

 

[raesha]

Maybe it's too much effort in normal conditions, but they are probably trying to resuscitate an almost dead franchise.

Doubtful they'll bother with that for a simple remaster.

The gameplay of ME1 is flawed in ways which puts reworking it far outside the scope of what's feasible in a cheap remaster to pull off, not to mention that a lot of hostility towards the series comes more from ME3 and ME:A if anything.

 

[alyvain]

I don't know what could be the point of remaking ME. Is it some 'genius' idea to get the franchise rolling? Did EA take inspiration from Nikolay Dybovskiy's remake of Pathologic? The only decline Bioware title with somewhat justified need of a remake is DA2 which was barely finished (if you think it's worth it for some reason).

All the installments of the franchise have problematic aspects that you can't change without reworking the whole game. You can probably make the planet exploration in ME1 more fun, but there is no guarantee that the player experience will be better at a whole. After all, one of the thing that stood out was strange interchanges between short linear action fragments of the game and the vastness of alien landscapes and even quest hubs. Sometimes this focus on pure quantity (the fact that you have not one, but three identical rader bases on the planet you'll have to take one by one, or a bunch of different weapon manufacturers) was a bit strange, but it at the very least added some charm. You can streamline the experience further, make it closer to ME2, but it'll basically be a different game. Can they rework all the installments of the franchise, using one specific design principle for all of them? I think not. If they try, they'll fail.

So, they'll release versions with new textures and maybe a bunch of quests. No big deal.

 

[Cosmo]

I don't know what could be the point of remaking ME.

They want to wash the bitter taste of Andromeda and see if they can restart the franchise. Plus the RE remakes proved there could be big bucks in remasters.

 

[Morality Games]

They'd have to rewrite major portions of the story starting in ME2 and retcon reapers back to their original intention. There's simply nothing Shepard can do that could ever compare to dealing with the reapers, they're a galaxy-wide extinction event.
I wonder how much they kick themselves for writing themselves into a corner like that. Easiest way out would probably be an alternate universe.

I thought remasters implied minimal changes to the original content.

A remake of Mass Effect would be a great idea to resuscitate some of the original value of the intellectual property, which is why I am absolutely certain beyond all doubt that EA/Bioware will never, ever even considering doing it.

As it is now, they are just going to remind people in vivid detail why they are pissed off at EA/Bioware.

"Rotating crops" is utterly alien to EA's "slash and burn" strategy of buying up studios, forcing them to do dumb things, and then shuttering the ones that don't get the results they want.

 

[alyvain]

They want to wash the bitter taste of Andromeda and see if they can restart the franchise. Plus the RE remakes proved there could be big bucks in remasters.

I didn't play RE, so I don't know how much about the remakes is different from the originals. As far as I understand it, RE remakes are basically new games with old plot. With ME, though, it is gonna be difficult to achieve. If you're planning to remake the whole franchise for a new audience, then you'll probably want to keep consistent tone and preserve core gameplay throughout the series, while appealing the core fanbase, and ME is not the best material for that. There is a lot about ME1 which seems 'dated', and any attempt to remake it will have to somehow address it. ME3, on the other hand, is a comfortable play even for people who've only been playing the eight generation's consoles (PS4, Xbox 1, etc.). I honestly believe that it's gonna be very difficult to pull off.

On the other hand, a remaster is a relatively cheap way to bring the franchise back to attention, and then build up something from there, so I'd count on that.

 

[Morality Games]

Reminding people of your gross incompetence with a remaster of a utterly failed concept before retooling your franchise is worse than just retooling it with a suite of trailers and marketing that only empathizes the good parts of the old games.

Can't help but feel like Bioware/EA is forgetting what a shit show Mass Effect 3 made that franchise into. People didn't grow more tolerant of ME3 over time, they just stopped thinking about Mass Effect almost totally.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

Bad endings ruin franchises. No one gives a shit about Game of Thrones anymore. Even the almighty Star Wars is on its arse.

Mass Effect was hit with a horrendously bad ending, and a shit sequel.

 

[DalekFlay]

They want to wash the bitter taste of Andromeda and see if they can restart the franchise.

The main things wrong with Andromeda (empty areas with MMO quest design, shit character animation) were also wrong with Dragon Age: Inquisition. They're almost the same game honestly. And yet DA:I was considered very successful, and ME:A is seen as this huge bomb. I feel like it has more to do with ME3's ending and lack of Shephard than people think.

 

[Assisted Living Godzilla]

They'd have to rewrite major portions of the story starting in ME2 and retcon reapers back to their original intention. There's simply nothing Shepard can do that could ever compare to dealing with the reapers, they're a galaxy-wide extinction event.
I wonder how much they kick themselves for writing themselves into a corner like that. Easiest way out would probably be an alternate universe.

I thought remasters implied minimal changes to the original content.

A remake of Mass Effect would be a great idea to resuscitate some of the original value of the intellectual property, which is why I am absolutely certain beyond all doubt that EA/Bioware will never, ever even considering doing it.

As it is now, they are just going to remind people in vivid detail why they are pissed off at EA/Bioware.

"Rotating crops" is utterly alien to EA's "slash and burn" strategy of buying up studios, forcing them to do dumb things, and then shuttering the ones that don't get the results they want.

More often than not over the last few years "remaster" has meant remake when it comes to video games. Spyro Reignited Trilogy, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, and Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled were branded as remasters, but they're very much remakes of the original games as opposed. Likewise you've got those "remasters" like Wild Guns Reloaded and The Ninja Warriors Once Again which have completely new characters sprites and backgrounds. Even something like the new Command & Conquer Remastered Collection is a remake given they remade all the maps, buildings, units, and recorded new music for it.

From all the interviews I've seen, Bioware's fuck ups don't sound like they're EA fault. It sounds like EA lets them do what they want. There's an interview one of the doctors did after they left BioWare, and he said EA gave them enough rope to hang themselves.

 

[Morality Games]

They'd have to rewrite major portions of the story starting in ME2 and retcon reapers back to their original intention. There's simply nothing Shepard can do that could ever compare to dealing with the reapers, they're a galaxy-wide extinction event.
I wonder how much they kick themselves for writing themselves into a corner like that. Easiest way out would probably be an alternate universe.

I thought remasters implied minimal changes to the original content.

A remake of Mass Effect would be a great idea to resuscitate some of the original value of the intellectual property, which is why I am absolutely certain beyond all doubt that EA/Bioware will never, ever even considering doing it.

As it is now, they are just going to remind people in vivid detail why they are pissed off at EA/Bioware.

"Rotating crops" is utterly alien to EA's "slash and burn" strategy of buying up studios, forcing them to do dumb things, and then shuttering the ones that don't get the results they want.

More often than not over the last few years "remaster" has meant remake when it comes to video games. Spyro Reignited Trilogy, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, and Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled were branded as remasters, but they're very much remakes of the original games as opposed. Likewise you've got those "remasters" like Wild Guns Reloaded and The Ninja Warriors Once Again which have completely new characters sprites and backgrounds. Even something like the new Command & Conquer Remastered Collection is a remake given they remade all the maps, buildings, units, and recorded new music for it.

From all the interviews I've seen, Bioware's fuck ups don't sound like they're EA fault. It sounds like EA lets them do what they want. There's an interview one of the doctors did after they left BioWare, and he said EA gave them enough rope to hang themselves.

There's not a lot you can do to *really* be an independent studio when your part of a big Western-style corporation like EA.

Even if EA doesn't mandate multiplayer (ruining level design in the single player campaign in various ways to accommodate system changes) or require people to switch to their company standard Unreal engine rather than building better and more interactive content and systems with the engine they already possess, they'll always allocate resources and give bonuses and promotions based on the rank-and-file below them conforming to the "tone at the top."

This isn't as big a problem (at least not historically) in say Japanese development because usually the top executives have absolutely no fucking idea of any kind at all what video games should be like (Sony, Konami) or are game designers themselves who rose to their position of authority from being the company's best designers (like Dark Souls creator becoming President of FromSoftware, various Nintendo presidents, etc).

Western executives know too little about video games to make one themselves but just enough their opinions and ideas can utterly ruin entire studios and franchises simply because those opinions and ideas exist and the rank-and-file want to satisfy their superiors and get those budgets/promotions/bonuses.

Obviously, EA is going to give a bigger budget to studios who follow the top executives idea of what makes a game commercially successful, and will tolerate lack of success far more if you at least attempted to do things the way the top said it should be done.

Besides, pretty sure doctors are directly contradicted by the fact that EA mandates all studios to have things like DLC, multiplayer (among others) in all EA games.

But sure, I'll grant that Bioware is probably more responsible for their failures internally than EA as a whole is. EA may only be guilty of not actively punishing studios for *not* being more independent as creatives.

 

[Morpheus Kitami]

Yeah, EA is going to stick the DLCs into the base game. Considering they're still charging 200 dollery-doos for the whole hog, yeah, I don't buy that.

 

[Assisted Living Godzilla]

They want to wash the bitter taste of Andromeda and see if they can restart the franchise.

The main things wrong with Andromeda (empty areas with MMO quest design, shit character animation) were also wrong with Dragon Age: Inquisition. They're almost the same game honestly. And yet DA:I was considered very successful, and ME:A is seen as this huge bomb. I feel like it has more to do with ME3's ending and lack of Shephard than people think.

Andromeda had way more problems on release that Inquisition, and people were over Inquisition by the time Andromeda came out.

Remember, this is the kind of stuff people were seeing on forums and first look videos before Andromeda even came out: