# Mass Effect

19 Hacker News commenters recommended Mass Effect and 5 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Recommended for strong writing, memorable characters and an inventive sci-fi universe that many people still love revisiting.

## Why people recommend it

- Strong writing and characters (5 comments): "I'm impressed by the characters that feel like real-actual people and the varying environments that all feel true to life" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49475534)) "characters are interesting because they are unique, principled, not always right, and are tested" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47235702)) "The writing is indeed fantastic even though the very coarse shape of the story is Halo-like." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50206550))
- Respected BioWare studio (4 comments): "The last impressive things they shipped were Mass Effect and DA:O." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50185616)) "Many great memories of KOTOR, Jade Empire, Mass Effect" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50184939)) "Probably one of the best game studios ever, IMO." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50185423))
- Memorable sci-fi universe (2 comments): "Mass Effect in particular is a fantastic creation that a lot of people would love to spend more time in." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50187343)) "one of the most interesting game universes conceived in the past 2 decades" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50185100))
- Exploration and varied environments (2 comments): "I'm impressed by the characters that feel like real-actual people and the varying environments that all feel true to life" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49475534)) "get back to the "Exploration" roots of Mass Effect 1" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50189806))

## What people warn about

- Choices feel rigged or converge (3 comments): "Oh you were only 92% Paragon, so now we're at the end, this crew-member has to die" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45844223)) "I don't like being lied to in games in a way that can't be found out." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50194108)) "the game wants to converge to one of a few endings" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45844650))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Elden Ring](https://hackerapproved.com/p/elden-ring.md): 25 recommend
- [Dark Souls](https://hackerapproved.com/p/dark-souls.md): 23 recommend
- [Diablo II: Resurrected](https://hackerapproved.com/p/diablo-2.md): 19 recommend
- [Path of Exile](https://hackerapproved.com/p/path-of-exile.md): 15 recommend
- [Diablo 4](https://hackerapproved.com/p/diablo-4.md): 10 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Mass Effect", https://hackerapproved.com/p/mass-effect/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).