Not my first time playing Mass Effect.
First time playing all 3 games, with all DLCs, with the same imported save.
I thought this game was great. 100+ hours later, I realize I was wrong. This game is more. Not because every single part of it is perfect (it definitely isn't), but because by the end, you grow attached to Shepard, to the Normandy, to your crew. Saying goodbye to them one final time felt like losing some dear friends.
I can't think of any other game that can build this kind of universe. The decisions you make in the first game still echo in the third one. Even those little quests you did for minor NPCs. Every little choice, every conversation, every little thing you did shapes the world. And the world remembers. People remember. Remember who Sheperd is, what Sheperd did for them.
ME1 absolutely feels old, compared to the others, but the worldbuilding is fantastic. ME2 is where I became completely addicted — the characters, loyalty missions, and especially the final mission are just amazing. The way it keeps you on edge, at time. It upsets you, it makes you feel joy, it makes you feel upset. ME3 has some of the highest emotional moments of the entire trilogy. Whatever you think about the ending, whatever ending you get, the journey getting there is unforgettable. I managed to keep everyone safe... and oh boy. The emotional rollercoaster during the final moments, the final missions, the last cutscene before the end of the main game and the final citadel DLC. And oh boy, you just can't help but feel part of that group, during the final party. Especially when you see that you made it, everyone made it. Everyone deserves to see this ending, at least once.
All the companions; I won't make a list cause I just couldn't pick a favorite, from ME1 to ME3. At some point they stop feeling like NPCs you bring along for combat and start feeling like people you've actually been travelling with for years.
Few games have made me this invested in their universe and characters. Finishing ME3 gave me that rare feeling where you sit there staring at the credits thinking, "Well... what am I supposed to play now?", knowing it will be hard to find something else that will feel like the same.
If you've somehow never played Mass Effect, don't look up too much. Don't search for the "best" decisions. Don't try to create the perfect playthrough.
Make your Shepard. Make your choices. Live with the consequences.
It'll be a good ride.
The best.
