Legendary science-fiction RPG Mass Effect has been reverse-engineered to produce a mock-up Game Boy Advance game reminiscent of titles like Advance Wars. In the years following the final official entry in the original trilogy, the games’ massive fanbase has looked back on Mass Effect‘s ending, its characters, and its sprawling world filled with unique alien cultures.
Although the first entry in the Mass Effect franchise was released back in 2007, it has held up remarkably well. The graphics and some of the gameplay systems, while notably dated in certain areas, are still serviceable at worst in the opinion of many fans. While the franchise continued to get more polished and evolve with subsequent entries, much of the core experience from the first game was retained. This core experience is centered around the game’s world and storytelling, with particular attention paid to player choice and agency. Mass Effect players can explore a semi-open world, with the choice to visit a number of different planets. These planets serve as the settings for various missions and activities, many of which include points where the player can decide in which direction to steer the story. Players can even romance certain Mass Effect NPCs, adding to the overall sense of immersion.
While players can revisit this classic game via last year’s Mass Effect Legendary Edition, YouTube channel 64 Bits has offered an alternate way to relive the adventure. A recent video from 64 Bits is a recreation of the iconic Virmire mission– though it’s presented in a charming pixelated style. The animation skips the initial battles on the beaches of Virmire and begins with the unforgettable choice that the player has to make: save Ashley or Kaiden. The video goes on to depict retro-style versions of key points in the mission, with the combat sections adopting a turn-based approach similar to Advance Wars.
This video isn’t the first time that Mass Effect fans have built unique tributes to the series, but it is certainly one of the more memorable instances. Many of the details of the video, from the adorable GBA border to the old-school remixes of some of the game’s most iconic tracks, are sure to please both Mass Effect fans and long-time gamers in general. Indeed, it appears to be a lovingly crafted homage.
While many fans will have a lot of fun with this video, others may have a more bittersweet response; it’s no secret that Mass Effect fans feel that the franchise is far from what it used to be after the disappointing Mass Effect: Andromeda, and videos like this one serve as reminders of just how effective and iconic the original trilogy was. Hopefully, the next chapter in the Mass Effect story can revive some of this magic.
Source: 64 Bits/YouTube
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