I know it's been a while since the heyday of Mass Effect, with over ten years since Mass Effect 3, but the series still feels like gaming royalty to me.
Which is why it's all the more shocking to see it up for free with Prime Gaming as part of Prime Day. Not discounted, highlighted, or on a deal, but just totally free to nab a copy. It feels like a weird alternate universe where some of the best games I've played have ended up as a bonus freebie.
In reality, Mass Effect has faded from gaming culture after the troubles around Mass Effect: Andromeda, and that's a shame – because the Mass Effect trilogy has some of the best storytelling in gaming. In fact, besides the hiccup at the end of Mass Effect 3, most of the complaints I have about the series have faded with time too, and left behind nothing but the favorite narrative moments and gameplay memories. Taken as a whole, the Mass Effect trilogy is a modern classic, and Commander Shepherd, Garrus, Wrex, Tali, and the rest deserve our respect and attention.
If you've somehow missed out, let me run you through the hook for Mass Effect:
You are Commander Shepard, and Earth has only recently made it onto the bigger stage of a galaxy full of alien races. You're a soldier with the human military, who has a shot at becoming an elite multi-species special forces operative – the first for humanity. Everything quickly becomes an absolute rat's nest of danger and betrayal. You're racing to save the galaxy while you make all kinds of cool alien friends along the way.
Mass Effect takes everything good about what Bioware can do and energizes it. The alien species and setting are deep and colorful, and the stories being told intertwine perfectly with all the hard work in the worldbuilding.
Convenience is a huge advantage of the Legendary Edition, since it pulls all three games into a single launcher, along with a tidy pile of additional content. And the improvements on top of that are substantial – from graphical tweaks and upgrades throughout the series (but especially in the first game) to the original entry getting a Mako that's easier to control and a combat facelift.
In short, the Mass Effect trilogy is better than ever in Legendary Edition, and for today it's free, somehow. So take my heartfelt advice, and don't miss out any longer.
More Prime Day deals in the US
- Alexa devices: Fire TV Sticks from $12 and more (opens in new tab)
- Adidas: 50% off sneakers and sportswear (opens in new tab)
- Apple: Apple Watch 7 at cheapest price yet (opens in new tab)
- Back to school: backpacks and stationery discounts (opens in new tab)
- Cell phones: $100 off the Google Pixel 6 (opens in new tab)
- College essentials: bedding, decor and cleaning sale (opens in new tab)
- Cooling: portable fans from $16.99 (opens in new tab)
- Fashion: 66% off clothing, shoes and jewelry (opens in new tab)
- Groceries: up to 40% off coffee and food essentials (opens in new tab)
- Headphones: up to $125 off Sony headphones and earbuds (opens in new tab)
- Home: Levoit Air Purifier for $42.49 (opens in new tab)
- Instant Pot: up to 29% off (opens in new tab)
- Kindle: up to 50% off ereader bundles (opens in new tab)
- Kitchen: up to $120 off blenders, coffee makers and more (opens in new tab)
- Laptops: $200 off 14-inch MacBook Pro (opens in new tab)
- Mattresses: $490 off Casper mattresses (opens in new tab)
- PS5: register for the next PS5 restock (opens in new tab)
- Security: Blink Home Security bundles from $44.99 (opens in new tab)
- Smart home: Echo Show 5 smart display for $34.99 (opens in new tab)
- Smartwatch: Amazon Halo View up to 55% off (opens in new tab)
- Speakers: JBL portable speakers from $29.95 (opens in new tab)
- Storage: up to 39% off Samsung SSDs (opens in new tab)
- Tablets: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 - save up to $120 (opens in new tab)
- TVs: Smart TVs from $89 (opens in new tab)
- Vacuums: save on Shark, iRobot and Bissell (opens in new tab)
More Prime Day deals in the UK
- Amazon devices: up to 65% off Echo Dot and Fire TV Cube (opens in new tab)
- Adidas: 30% off some sportswear and trainers (opens in new tab)
- Apple: save up to £150 on iPads and Apple Watches (opens in new tab)
- Back to school: backpacks and stationery from £1.50 (opens in new tab)
- Beauty: save on Rimmel, Revlon, Olay, and more top brands (opens in new tab)
- Coffee machines: starting at just £19 with up to 60% off (opens in new tab)
- Cheap Fire tablets: Amazon Fire tablets starting at £34.99 (opens in new tab)
- Dental: 57% off Oral-B and Philips electric toothbrushes (opens in new tab)
- Fashion: 40% off Vans, Hugo Boss, Wrangler, and other brands (opens in new tab)
- Fire TV Stick: lowest price yet on all models (opens in new tab)
- Groceries: £10 off your first three grocery shops (opens in new tab)
- Grooming & hair care: 60% off Philips, Remmington shavers & straighteners (opens in new tab)
- Headphones: Sony and Bose headphones at lowest-ever prices (opens in new tab)
- Kindle: 25% off Kindle ereader bundles (opens in new tab)
- Laptops: 15% off Microsoft, Huawei, Acer, and Asus laptops (opens in new tab)
- Phones: Google Pixel 6 lowest ever price, OnePlus, Motorola (opens in new tab)
- PS5: Dualsense deals, plus savings on leading games (opens in new tab)
- Security: £180 off Ring Home Security bundles (opens in new tab)
- Smart home: £144 off Ring and Echo bundles (opens in new tab)
- Smartwatch: up to 50% off Garmin watches and trackers (opens in new tab)
- Tablets: 41% off Samsung, Lenovo, and Huawei tablets (opens in new tab)
- Tools: 49% off some Bosch tools and garden items (opens in new tab)
- TVs: 4K TVs starting at just £199 with half-price deals (opens in new tab)
- Vacuums: 35% off Shark cordless vacs (opens in new tab)
- Xbox: Xbox Series X in stock for £449 (opens in new tab)