One of the best things about Mass Effect is its creative cast of squadmates that fight at the player's side. The sci-fi RPG features a wide variety of characters, both human and alien, that players can choose from before each mission. With some squad members making an appearance through the entire trilogy, it's not surprising that fans have developed a few favorites over the years. One Mass Effect fan in particular has a gift with cosplaying, and recently revealed one of their best pieces yet: a Garrus Vakarian cosplay that's so realistic, it's causing fans to swoon.
The C-Sec Officer gone rogue has always been a favorite for ME fans. Garrus is a talented sharpshooter that's bold, cunning, and occasionally a bit awkward. But most of all, he's a friend to Shepard all the way through the series, ready to tackle any kind of mission, no matter the odds. His recurring role in the trilogy makes him easily recognizable to fans, and his charming personality makes him a popular romance choice with female characters. Considering his popularity, it's no surprise that Garrus frequently appears in Mass Effect fan art.
That being said, Garrus is one of the most complex Mass Effect companions to pull off, especially for cosplay. His design is extremely alien, with exaggerated hands, feet, and hips. His chest-plate is also massive, which is no doubt a pain for designers to recreate from scratch. Overall, the Turian's physical appearance is quite different from a human, so any artist looking to wear the outfit will need to be creative with their tools.
And yet, this fan-made design, created by Twitter user Smelms, works perfectly. An experienced costume designer and cosplayer, Smelms has created the perfect Garrus cosplay, sporting his iconic blue armor and all. The design even features the scarring that Garrus receives during Mass Effect 2's recruitment mission. The most impressive part is just how realistic it turned out. Creating a costume that looks exactly like a fictional character is already a difficult task. Being able to perfectly recreate an alien, of all characters, is an incredible feat.
Fans are head over heels for this cosplay, sharing plenty of love in the comments of the tweet. Smelms' post has received over three thousand likes since it was first revealed, and the compliments are still rolling in. It's arguably one of the best costumes ever made for Garrus, if not Mass Effect in general. The only thing that could possibly make this cosplay better is adding Mass Effect's female Shepard into the mix.
The release of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition has been incredibly successful thus far. The return to the original trilogy has reminded players what they love most about the series. Years later, fans are still enjoying their adventures through the galaxy, making new friends and new enemies as they go. If BioWare can continue to create characters that inspire the community, in the same way that the squadmates in Mass Effect inspire fans now, then Dragon Age 4 may experience the same success in the future.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is currently available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.