The Mass Effect: Legendary Edition collection has taken one step closer to being in the player's hands. The remastered Mass Effect collection recently went gold, which means that work on the game has been completed, and it's ready to be released. The collection isn't being launched until May 14, so gamers have a little longer to wait. The announcement that the collection has gone gold is good news for fans of BioWare games. The developer has had something of a rough patch for the past few years with its most recent projects.
The last game in the series was Mass Effect: Andromeda, which wasn't received too warmly by fans and critics. The game unfortunately suffered from a variety of technical issues at launch, along with a narrative that a lot of reviewers and players didn't consider as engaging as the original trilogy. BioWare is returning to the franchise with a brand new Mass Effect game and the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition collection. BioWare has had a period of releasing games that haven't been as critically acclaimed as its past work. The new Mass Effect collection going gold is a reason for gamers to be excited by the studio's output again.
The End of Anthem
BioWare's last game, Anthem, didn't set the world on fire when it was released, but it did have its fair share of fans. The online multiplayer game was primarily a shooter, which used some RPG mechanics. Many gamers considered this to be a departure from BioWare's usual style, but there was excitement around the project. Anthem didn't release to great reviews, and BioWare vowed to create a new and improved iteration of the game. While it was hardly a surprise to a lot of gamers, Anthem 2.0 was officially canceled.
The developer cited issues stemming from COVID-19 and the need to focus more on the new Dragon Age and Mass Effect games. Despite the game's lukewarm reception, many Anthem players were disappointed by the news. Not only was the original release broadly considered to be underwhelming, the cancellation of the reboot means that Anthem won't see any more significant updates. This was ought to leave a bad taste in the mouths of some BioWare fans, but the news of the Mass Effect collection's gold status could be heartening. While it's not an original project, the beloved series returning could bring some positivity to BioWare fans.
Mass Effect: Andromeda's Reception
The last game in the series, Mass Effect: Andromeda, faced some backlash when it was originally released. It had several technical issues, most notably with some animations, which were later rectified by BioWare. Beyond the technical issues that players and critics picked up on, some considered the narrative to be disappointing when compared to the original games. Mass Effect: Andromeda was BioWare's last game before Anthem. A lot of Mass Effect fans considered Andromeda to be a disappointment, despite the well-received changes to combat.
The remastered Mass Effect collection marks BioWare's return to the franchise. Andromeda's reception put the franchise on hold until the newly remastered collection was announced. Many fans are hoping that the new collection is a promising return for the series, especially after the disappointment felt by some fans after Andromeda. While it's not a brand new game, players are excited to step back into the role of Commander Shepard once again while experiencing an updated version of the beloved original games.
BioWare's New Games Could Be Far From Release
BioWare has two original games coming in the future, and they could be some time away from releasing. Mass Effect 4 was confirmed in November 2020, accompanied by a teaser trailer showcasing the fan-favorite character, Liara. The new game's reveal was met with excitement, especially due to the links to the original games with Liara and the presence of N7 armor fragments. Most gamers presume that Mass Effect 4 is years away from release, but the new collection could tide gamers over for some time. The Shepard-led games are lengthy and contain high levels of replayability, so it could help fans pass the time while refamiliarizing with the series until more significant news is available for Mass Effect 4.
Dragon Age 4 is the other major project that BioWare has in the works. The game was originally announced in late 2018, and more recently further information and concept art have been drip-fed to fans. The title was originally said to include live-service elements, but the multiplayer elements were later dropped. Dragon Age 4 could face a longer development cycle as the team will likely have to remove the multiplayer functionality. The game isn't expected to launch any time soon, which means that the Mass Effect: Legendary Collection could hold fans' attention until Dragon Age 4 or Mass Effect 4 is released.
With the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition collection going gold, it means that BioWare is one step closer to getting out into the world. The remastered Mass Effect games have a ton of changes lined up, but fortunately, most fans seem pleased with the adjustments. After the cancellation of Anthem 2.0, a lot of BioWare fans were disappointed but the remasters give players a lot to look forward to. While gamers await further news on Mass Effect 4 and Dragon Age 4, remasters are something BioWare fans can get excited about, and sink their teeth into while the studio's new games are developed.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is scheduled for release on May 14, 2021, on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.