It’s no secret that video games are getting more expensive. Just last week, Sony raised prices for all three models of the PlayStation 5, as well as the PlayStation Portal. Last fall, Microsoft hiked the prices for every model of the current-gen Xbox, as well as Xbox Game Pass. But there are still occasional bargains to be had out there, particularly when it comes to older games. Right now, both the PlayStation and Xbox digital storefronts have 2021’s remastered Mass Effect Legendary Edition on sale for a mere $5.99. No, that’s not a typo. The entire Mass Effect trilogy is 90% off its normal asking price of $59.99 — that’s only $2 per game!
Since the first game launched for the Xbox 360 in 2007, Mass Effect has been beloved for its epic scope, choice-driven story, and the freedom to smooch aliens. The trilogy has had an enormous influence on video game storytelling in the nearly two decades since its launch.
“We really tried to push the bounds of what I would call interactive, cinematic storytelling,” series writer and director Mac Walters told Polygon back in 2021. “Everything from the fact that we patented the conversation wheel — you see something like it everywhere now, right? It’s very commonplace. But the whole goal of that was to kind of remove some of the barriers between the game and your interaction with the characters, to really make it feel like it was a seamless experience with a cinematic quality to it.”
The sale runs through April 15, so if you’ve never played the Mass Effect trilogy — or you might want to revisit it at some point down the line — this is a fantastic opportunity to grab all three games at a massive discount. In addition to three remastered games, you’ll get 40 pieces of DLC from all three games, including story expansions, as well as bonus weapons, armor, and item packs. Mass Effect Legendary Edition isn’t available for Nintendo Switch, and it’s not currently discounted on Steam, so this deal is just for Xbox and PlayStation users at the moment.
In other Mass Effect news, Amazon is currently working on a TV adaptation of the series, though the company’s top brass reportedly asked showrunners to rewrite the series to make it “more appealing to non-gamers.” (Not a great sign!) Back in November, we learned the series won’t focus on Commander Shepard, the customizable hero from the original trilogy.
Mass Effect developer BioWare is also working on a new game in the franchise, which was announced way back in 2020. When (and if) the game colloquially known as Mass Effect 5 will come out remains to be seen. But at least you can catch up on the story so far on the cheap while we wait.
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