TheMass Effecttrilogy is considered by many to be one of the greatest sci-fi gaming trilogies of all time, with even the broken release ofMass Effect: Andromedadoing little to nothing to stop the hype train of this franchise. Bioware’s reputation might not be at its greatest by any stretch of the imagination, but one need only look atthe hype surrounding the news of a new game in the seriesto understand just how beloved theMass Effectproperty is among the fanbase.
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People who want to get into this trilogy properly might find themselvesstruggling to get through the first game in the series, which many consider to be the weakest from a gameplay standpoint. Thankfully, with the following mods, experiencing this game for the first time can still be magical.
10Faster Airlock
The firstMass Effecttitle is a great game, but one can’t deny that it is certainly a product of its time. One need only look at the manner in which it hid its loading times; for example, in the airlock while entering the Normandy.
In modern times, systems are more than capable of loading in textures and the like with ease. This makes these hidden loading screens completely arbitrary, andthis Faster Airlock modends up negating one of these constant annoyances.
9Faster Elevators
The airlock is just present in one area ofMass Effect.A bigger annoyance that plagues a person’s playthrough again and again are the obnoxiously slow and annoying elevators strewn across the Citadel.
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As is the case with the airlock, these elevators are simply not required to hide loading times in the modern age. So,with this mod, these long waits can be avoided entirely. And before someone asks — the mod allows for squad conversations to play out naturally without being interrupted either, making for the perfect compromise as well.
8A Lot of Videos (ALOV) for ME1
The pre-rendered cutscenes of the originalMass Effecthaven’t really aged well. This means that most people who end up witnessing these cutscenes can find these transitions pretty jarring as well.
Thankfully,the ALOV modends up improving the resolution of all these videos. This can help people get over the poor quality of the base game’s pre-rendered cutscenes and enjoy the experience to its fullest.
7Expanded Character Creator (ECC)
Any RPG fan will attest to the fact thatcreating one’s characterin these games is easily one of the highlights of the overall experience. However, the firstMass Effectmight be rather lacking in that regard. Now, though mods have come to save the day.
With ECC, players can access a whole host of options to create a Shepard that perfectly suits their image and ends up adding to the immersion of the game substantially as well.
6Improved MAKO
One of the worst parts ofMass Effectwas the fact that the MAKO was an absolute travesty to control. In the first game, multitudes of players struggled with its ridiculous hydraulics and finicky handling. It was easily the most reviled part of the entire game. (Not that it mattered too much, though, since the rest of the game was brilliant.)
However, for people who want to enjoy an experience that’s closer to perfection, they can definitely try outthis mod. It improves the MAKO’s handling and makes it way less bouncy than it originally was.
5Same-Gender Romances for ME1
Bioware has generally been quite inclusive in recent times when it comes to romance in its games. However, there’s no denying that the firstMass Effectgame was pretty limiting when it came to choosing the ideal romance partner for Shepard.
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With this mod, unused dialogue that hinted towards same-sex romances withAshley and Kaidenare used to facilitate same-sex romances that will allow players of all orientations to play exactly like the Shepard they want to.
4ME1Controller
PlayingMass Effectwith a mouse and keyboard might not be the hardest thing in the world, but one can’t deny that the game definitely functions quite naturally with a keyboard as well.
For people who want to experience this game in the comfort of their couches,downloading this modto enable controller support is the way to go.
3A Lot Of Textures (ALOT) for ME1
The firstMass Effectmakes its age painfully evident. Though players would expect this of any game released 14 years ago, the muddy textures of the game can still be a downright pain to witness at times.
Thankfully, modders have realized that the visuals of the game need a much-needed uplift and have improved the environmental textures of the game to an impressive extentwith ALOT. This allows for the game to seem exactly like how people remembered it when they played it so long ago.
2Mass Effect Updated/Improved Textures Mod (MEUITM)
ALOT ends up improving the environmental textures of the game; however, the mod leaves the characters and NPCs of the game untouched. However, there’s a reason for this. ALOT was designed to work with another mod that takes over this responsibility instead.
MEUITMis a must-have for players who want to get throughthe conversations ofMass Effectwithout judging the dated character models of this title. The impact this has on the player’s immersion is — obviously — massive!
1ME1 Recalibrated
Graphics are important in any video game; however, the first thing that anyone would ideally want to focus on is the overall stability of the game. There’s no point in a game looking visually impressive if a ton of bugs end up taking away from the overall experience.
For what it’s worth, the originalMass Effectis a pretty polished experience without any major issues (something that definitely can’t be said for Andromeda.) However,ME1 Recalibratedends up taking care of any remaining issues in the game to make for a stable and enjoyable experience from start to end.
