GAME OF THE DAY: Mass Effect 3

One good thing about post-release DLC is that it gives you a great excuse to revisit some classic titles.

And with the release of BioWare’s Leviathan DLC for Mass Effect 3, you’ve got an ideal reason to relive one of the greatest action RPGs ever released.

The Mass Effect series began in 2007 with the release of the first instalment exclusively on Xbox 360. The game was notable for many things, but chief of them was the fact that your decisions would be remembered and will play a part in the two promised future instalments.

And sure enough, come 2010 BioWare made good on this promise with Mass Effect 2. Playing as the same character as you did in the first game – it ported across your appearance and continued the same story arc – was an incredible first and paved the way for one of the most epic RPG releases ever seen.

(And it also brought the series to PS3 for the first time, complete with an interactive comic that allowed you to shape the story as you would have done if you’d played the debut outing.)

Mass Effect 3 was released in March of this year. The game itself is incredible. BioWare has refined the combat, the settings are more varied and vibrant and the story is truly epic.

But aside from the fine craft displayed by the game itself, the real achievement is fulfilling the promise made in 2007. Your character, your universe, your decision – leading up to a truly fitting conclusion for one of the most remarkable experiences ever offered in a video game.

And forget all the nonsense written about the game’s conclusion, too. It’s brilliant.

Granted, if you familiarise yourself with the mechanics behind what choices you are and are not given then yes, it can feel a little empty. But if you can for just one moment put all of that gumpf aside and enjoy it for what it is – a meaningful and touching conclusion to perhaps the best story ever told on a console.

Although you can of course also download the extended ending. If you like.

Mass Effect 3 can be had for around 20 on Xbox 360, 18 on PS3 and just 13 on PC, so there’s really no excuse. MCV would recommend that you take the time to play all three games, however, or at least start with Mass Effect 2 and complete the optional Mass Effect: Genesis introduction.