Mass Effect
Hacker ApprovedShares rank 3 of 14 action role-playing games by recommenders
Recommended for strong writing, memorable characters and an inventive sci-fi universe that many people still love revisiting.
Recommended for strong writing, memorable characters and an inventive sci-fi universe that many people still love revisiting.
24 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 19
- criticize it
- 5
- approval share
- 79%
Recommended in 5 of 13 months
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it carries the badge
- 19 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 3.8 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 5 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Strong writing and characters
“I'm impressed by the characters that feel like real-actual people and the varying environments that all feel true to life”
Comment from 28 Aug 2026 in “Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look [video]” “characters are interesting because they are unique, principled, not always right, and are tested”
Comment from 3 Mar 2026 in “Why No AI Games?” “The writing is indeed fantastic even though the very coarse shape of the story is Halo-like.”
Comment from 23 Oct 2026 in “EA is shutting down BioWare” - Comment from 21 Oct 2026 in “EA is shutting down BioWare”
- Comment from 21 Oct 2026 in “EA is shutting down BioWare”
Respected BioWare studio
“The last impressive things they shipped were Mass Effect and DA:O.”
Comment from 21 Oct 2026 in “EA is shutting down BioWare” “Many great memories of KOTOR, Jade Empire, Mass Effect”
Comment from 21 Oct 2026 in “EA is shutting down BioWare” “Probably one of the best game studios ever, IMO.”
Comment from 21 Oct 2026 in “EA is shutting down BioWare” - Comment from 21 Oct 2026 in “EA is shutting down BioWare”
Memorable sci-fi universe
“Mass Effect in particular is a fantastic creation that a lot of people would love to spend more time in.”
Comment from 21 Oct 2026 in “EA is shutting down BioWare” “one of the most interesting game universes conceived in the past 2 decades”
Comment from 21 Oct 2026 in “Electronic Arts to Cut 400 Jobs, Shut Down BioWare” Exploration and varied environments
“I'm impressed by the characters that feel like real-actual people and the varying environments that all feel true to life”
Comment from 28 Aug 2026 in “Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look [video]” “get back to the "Exploration" roots of Mass Effect 1”
Comment from 22 Oct 2026 in “EA is shutting down BioWare”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Choices feel rigged or converge
“Oh you were only 92% Paragon, so now we're at the end, this crew-member has to die”
Comment from 7 Nov 2025 in “Game design is simple” “I don't like being lied to in games in a way that can't be found out.”
Comment from 22 Oct 2026 in “EA is shutting down BioWare” “the game wants to converge to one of a few endings”
Comment from 7 Nov 2025 in “Game design is simple”
Other action role-playing games people recommend
The four most recommended other action role-playing games, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elden Ring | 25 | 8 | 76% | 10 | — | Approved |
| Dark Souls | 23 | 6 | 79% | 10 | — | Approved |
| Mass EffectThis page | 19 | 5 | 79% | 5 | — | Approved |
| Diablo II: Resurrected | 19 | 3 | 86% | 10 | — | Approved |
| Path of Exile | 15 | 5 | 75% | 9 | — | Approved |
What people said
23 of the 26 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“The writing is indeed fantastic even though the very coarse shape of the story is Halo-like.”
“all of which are considered to be good to excellent”
“I don't like being lied to in games in a way that can't be found out.”
“the whole trilogy sets it up and the overarching pillar that holds up the whole story is mind control”
“Andromeda took the #2 spot behind ME 1.”
“get back to the "Exploration" roots of Mass Effect 1”
“The combat wasn't very engaging either it was a boring feeling cover shooter.”
“Mass Effect in particular is a fantastic creation that a lot of people would love to spend more time in.”
“it's a very bright light that outshines a lot”
“ME2 utterly failed at bridging the gap between the strong start of an epic that was ME1”
“The entirety of Mass Effect 1 was a master class in writing”
“ME1's ending may have well been a master class in game cinematography and writing.”
“The last impressive things they shipped were Mass Effect and DA:O.”
“Probably one of the best game studios ever, IMO.”
“Really loved Jade Empire and Mass Effect”
“one of the most interesting game universes conceived in the past 2 decades”
“Many great memories of KOTOR, Jade Empire, Mass Effect”
“I'm impressed by the characters that feel like real-actual people and the varying environments that all feel true to life”
“characters are interesting because they are unique, principled, not always right, and are tested”
“It's mostly Mass Effect that's trouble under Proton.”
“I think that puzzles are ok in Mass Effect”
“the game wants to converge to one of a few endings”
“Oh you were only 92% Paragon, so now we're at the end, this crew-member has to die”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.