Mass Effect 3 vs Mass Effect Legendary Edition
Mass Effect 3 is an FPS RPG game (2012) while Mass Effect Legendary Edition is an action-RPG RPG game from BioWare (2021).
Quick answer: Mass Effect 3 has the higher Metacritic, 89 to 86.
Mass Effect 3
What each one is
Mass Effect 3 is filed under FPS and RPG. In contrast, Mass Effect Legendary Edition under Action-RPG and RPG.
Mass Effect 3 is a 2012 action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. The third major entry in the Mass Effect series and the final installment of the original trilogy, it was released in March 2012 for Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. A Wii U version of the game, entitled Mass Effect 3: Special Edition, was later released as a launch title on November 18, 2012, which notably supported Nintendo Network connection features for multiplayer interaction. The game is set within the Milky Way galaxy in 2186, where galactic civilization is invaded by a very advanced machine race of synthetic-organic starships known as Reapers.
The Mass Effect™ Legendary Edition includes single-player base content and over 40 DLC from the highly acclaimed Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 3 games, including promo weapons, armors, and packs — remastered and optimized for 4K Ultra HD.
Story, characters and reception
Plot
Setting See also: Mass Effect The Mass Effect trilogy is set within the Milky Way galaxy during the 22nd century, where interstellar travel is possible through the use of mass transit devices called mass relays , a technology believed to have been built by an extinct alien race known as the Protheans. A conglomerate body of governments known as the Citadel Council controls a large percentage of the galaxy and is responsible for maintaining law and order… (Wikipedia)
Characters
See also: List of Mass Effect characters Freddie Prinze Jr. joined the cast of Mass Effect 3 as James Vega . The protagonist of Mass Effect 3 is Commander Shepard ( Mark Meer or Jennifer Hale ), an elite human soldier who is Commanding Officer of the Normandy SR-2 starship. (Wikipedia)
Reception
Critical response Reception Upon release, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of Mass Effect 3 received "universal acclaim" while the Windows and Wii U versions received "generally favorable reviews" from video game publications , according to review aggregator Metacritic . The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game finished with scores of 93 out of 100, making Mass Effect 3 the highest-rated game of 2012 on both systems. Critics felt that… (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception According to the review aggregator Metacritic , the Windows and PlayStation 4 versions of Mass Effect Legendary Edition received "generally favorable reviews" whereas the Xbox One version received "universal acclaim" from video game publications . According to OpenCritic , 96% of 122 critic reviews recommend the game. Critics generally felt that the first Mass Effect , which received more extensive upgrades than its sequels, was significantly… (Wikipedia)
At a glance
| Mass Effect 3 | Mass Effect Legendary Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| GamingPickz Score | — | 8.2/10 |
| Steam rating | — | Very Positive (91%, 67,045) |
| Critic aggregate | 89/100 | 86/100 |
| Price | Unknown | $59.99 |
| Install size | — | 120 GB |
| Steam Deck | Untested | playable |
| Released | 2012 | 2021 |
| Developer | — | BioWare |
Prices and Steam ratings are read live and move over time.
Mass Effect 3 vs Mass Effect Legendary Edition, point by point
Each facet side by side. A round is marked won only where a figure settles it; feel and "which is better" carry no mark, because no number we hold decides them.
Genre and premise
Mass Effect 3FPS RPG gameMass Effect Legendary EditionAction-RPG RPG gameWhat each is filed as. Each game describes itself in full above; we do not judge a premise.
How it plays
Mass Effect 3No descriptive tagsMass Effect Legendary EditionStory Rich, RPG, Choices MatterThe tags players apply most, in order of votes. A read on feel, not a verdict.
Reception
Mass Effect 3 ✓Metacritic 89Mass Effect Legendary EditionMetacritic 86Metacritic's critic aggregate, from the game's Wikipedia reception where it was never on Steam.
Content and scale
Mass Effect 3—Mass Effect Legendary Edition67,045 reviews · 120 GBReach and footprint, not quality: more reviews or a bigger install is not a better game.
Price
Mass Effect 3UnknownMass Effect Legendary Edition$59.99Read live from Steam and subject to change.
Mass Effect 3 takes 1 of the marked rounds to 0. That is only what a number can decide, not which you will enjoy more.
Which to pick, by what you want
- The better reviewed of the two: Mass Effect 3 (Metacritic 89)
Where they differ
Story RichRPGChoices MatterSci-fiSingleplayerSpace
Tags players apply to one game and not the other.
Difficulty and who each is for
By the tags players apply, Mass Effect 3 is middle-of-the-road on difficulty. Mass Effect Legendary Edition is middle-of-the-road on difficulty.
System requirements, side by side
| Mass Effect 3 | Mass Effect Legendary Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum GPU | — | GPU: NVIDIA GTX 760 |
| Minimum CPU | — | Intel Core i5 3570 |
| Minimum RAM | — | 8 GB |
| Install size | — | 120 GB |
Can your PC run them? Check each against your own kit: Mass Effect 3 · Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
Accessibility features
Steam store pages declare 0 accessibility features for Mass Effect 3 and 4 for Mass Effect Legendary Edition. A declaration is a floor, not a review.
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Common questions
How different are Mass Effect 3 and Mass Effect Legendary Edition in scope?
Mass Effect 3 lists little scope data. Mass Effect Legendary Edition has drawn 67,045 Steam reviews and installs in 120 GB.
Is Mass Effect 3 or Mass Effect Legendary Edition better?
Neither carries enough reviews for us to score it reliably, so we do not call a winner. The table above shows what each does have.
Which is cheaper, Mass Effect 3 or Mass Effect Legendary Edition?
One or both do not have a current listed price, so a straight comparison is not possible. See the table above.
Should I get Mass Effect 3 or Mass Effect Legendary Edition?
Mass Effect 3 has the higher Metacritic, 89 to 86. It also depends on what you want: the "which to pick" section above calls out which is cheaper, lighter on storage, better on a Steam Deck and the safer bet by weight of reviews.
Do you rank one above the other for a fee?
No. Neither game, nor anyone else, pays for placement or a verdict here. The order and every figure come out of the same public data the rest of the site uses.
Related comparisons
All comparisonsHow we compare, and what we will not do
The GamingPickz Score is a composite of player sentiment (adjusted for sample size), the critic aggregate and popularity, computed by the same code every ranked list on this site uses. The Steam rating label is Valve's own, reconstructed from the positive percentage and review count. Prices are read live. We do not write an opinion of which game is "better": we report the numbers and say which wins each measurable question above.