Mass Effect has been my number one best of all time favourite franchise ever since I finished it, what, 10 years ago? And that's how long I've been waiting to have the entire trilogy in one neat package with everything included. I feel like it didn't have to take a decade, but whatever, thanks EA.

Mass Effect is a sci-fi space opera where the main character, Shepard, a semi-blank slate that you get to fill in, discovers a galaxy-extinction-level threat from dark space, and is forced to bring different people and various galactic races together in order to even stand a chance against it. This is an oversimplification, but that's basically the gist of it.

The remastered games look and sound gorgeous, but they couldn't really take some of the wonk out of them. For example, the first one was not the most polished of gems when it came out, and it still isn't. But it's much prettier! The meat of each game is the spectacular main story interspersed with a multitude of side missions, some of which are extremely simple fetch quests while others, particularly the companion missions, add to the expansive lore and flavour of Mass Effect's world.

The preeminent aspect of all three games is Shepard's relationships with his friends and companions. Each interaction with any of them increases the player's understanding of them, the galaxy, and Shepard himself. Each line of conversation chisels small bits and pieces off the giant, enigmatic, at first seemingly shapeless monolith that is Mass Effect, all in order to arrive at the end result: an elaborate awe-inspiring masterpiece of a sculpture that will, in many ways, stand as a beacon of what a good game is supposed to be for all eternity.

It got a bit dramatic there, but I truly do believe in what I wrote.

Shepard himself is a protagonist full of conviction and determination. Whether you play him (or her) as Paragon or Renegade, he (or she) radiates hope. This quality has been of great comfort to me both within the context of the game and without. As someone who has trouble developing and keeping friendships in real life, it was also a joy to experience, at least vicariously, Shepard's bonds with his companions, as well as his willingness to always do what is necessary in the face of evil, regardless of personal sacrifice.

The ending to the third part is pretty controversial, as I remember Bioware promised not to create one where you would choose one of three colour-coded finales. Then they went and did exactly that. However, if you subscribe to the Indoctrination Theory, you will be left more than satisfied. It is a pity the developers were so foolish as to reject it and stick to their version of the ending, but that does not mean I have to.

Part 2 has the best ending of any game I have ever played. However, the single best moment of my video game playing "career" was finishing the third part for the first time, realizing something was wrong, looking up and watching the IT video and just sitting there, wrapping my head around the fact that, for the first time in my life, as I was playing the game, the game was playing me as well. This is a one-of-a-kind moment that I doubt I will ever have again.

I give the highest of recommendations for this game. Even with its flaws, I still cannot praise it enough.