There have been countless RPGs in gaming history. Plenty of them are great, some are average, and a lot aren't worth remembering. However, a few games and series rise above them all.
These titles set the standard for role-playing games and will be remembered for years to come. One such example is Mass Effect. There have been a few titles in Bioware's epic series, but the ones that stand out are those from the original trilogy. Their status as an iconic set of games comes from the fact they do things better than other RPGs. Here are a few examples.
8 World Building
Many RPGs have fantastic lore, but they struggle to explain every aspect of it to you during the game's story. As such, much of it is found in hidden files or within separate media. Mass Effect, on the other hand, excels at informing you of everything you need to know about its universe.
There are other pieces of media that provide little details. Most of the main things, though, you find out during the games. For instance, you learn everything about the Genophage, the Morning War, and the Council just from playing through the trilogy.
7 Building Up The Antagonists
The Mass Effect series does an incredible job at establishing the Reapers as a threat. From the first game, you learn how the Synthetics were able to wipe out all advanced races and that they intend to do the same to the current inhabitants of the Milky Way. Then when they invade in the third title, their overwhelming power is clear.
Their seemingly invincible nature helps build anticipation for the future battle against them. Furthermore, it makes the eventual victory sweeter. The antagonists in most other RPGs don't create as much excitement because they're not as threatening.
6 Romantic Options
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Plenty of RPGs provide you with multiple romantic options. Yet, many don't give you the same number as the Mass Effect series. The first title admittedly has slim pickings - yet, Liara's romance is one of the best in the series.
Thankfully, though, Mass Effect 2 and 3 give you a whole host of options to fit your taste. Perhaps they could've done with a few more same-sex options as there aren't many. Yet, that is still more than there is in most other games. Plus, every main relationship includes several compelling and intense scenes.
5 Simple Skill Upgrade System
Unlike many RPGs, the Mass Effect series doesn't include traditional skill trees. Instead, they provide a menu of your talents, and you spend skill points to upgrade each one. It's an incredibly simple system that even an RPG newbie can understand.
Plus, you don't receive skill points every few seconds, so you only occasionally need to go into the menu. And every boost you give to your powers makes a difference. This is much more preferable to the overly large or complicated skill tree many other titles provide.
4 Choices That Matter
RPGs are regularly criticized for giving you an illusion of choice, meaning they have you make decisions but don't often provide consequences for them. You can't give that same critique to the Mass Effect games.
In these titles, your choices do matter. Throughout the trilogy, the fates of important characters and sometimes entire races directly depend on your actions. For example, if you make a few bad choices, you can get all your companions in Mass Effect 2 killed.
3 Implementation Of Other Species
While playing an RPG, you're likely to see plenty of creatures that aren't human. They're perhaps mutated monsters, strange animals, or aliens. In Mass Effect, you share the world with various alien species.
The series does a fantastic job of making them all feel as real as the humans. Each race has its own history, societal norms, planets, and technology. A lot of other RPGs don't implement their non-humans as well. In fact, most go for the simple option of making them villains.
2 Connection With Companions
There are many games that let you travel in a party or recruit companions. What's great about Mass Effect is that you have the opportunity to really get to know these allies. While on the Normandy, you can have a bunch of conversations with each one and learn everything about them.
Occasionally, these interactions lead to full missions, where you find out even more about your companions. In the end, they feel more like friends and family than mere teammates. Plenty of RPGs don't allow you to connect to your allies in the same way.
1 You And The Protagonist Share The Same Legacy
Protagonists in RPGs usually fit into one of two categories. Either they're a big deal before the game begins, or more commonly, they become iconic figures by the end of the game. In the first Mass Effect, your Shepard is a somewhat known figure. By the second and third games, though, Shepard is classified as a legendary hero. And people continually remind you of that fact during your adventure.
What's cool is that they praise the protagonist for things you did. For instance, people regularly talk about your victory during the Battle of the Citadel or how you stopped the Collectors. These are both your and Shepard's achievements. This makes it feel like you are the main character instead of just playing as them. Other games don't always make you feel that way.