When Mass Effect Legendary Edition was first announced, BioWare told us that the first Mass Effect was going to get most of their attention with reworked controls and upgraded visuals. They also told us that the Mako would receive a complete overhaul with new camera controls, a faster-charging shield, and thrusters for getting it over even the steepest of hilltops.
For most fans of the original Mass Effect, that probably sounds great. But BioWare acknowledges that there are definitely some people who will prefer the old controls, and for them, we’ve got good news.
“For those people out there who do like pain, we’ve left the option to leave it back kind of closer to the original controls as well if you want,” environment director Kevin Meek told PC Gamer in a recent interview.
He didn’t have to expand on what made the original Mako’s controls so painful, but in case you’d forgotten in the 13 years since the original game’s release, the M35 Mako wallowed like the tank that it was. Getting up even small inclines was a chore, and occasionally small rocks would send the Mako spinning out of control. Worst of all was the lava, which was an instant kill for everyone on board.
The Mako’s turret was also a huge problem, with close-in camera controls that made it “almost impossible to track and hit” targets within 20 meters, according to project director Mac Walters. “And then also things in the distance that were at a different altitude than you were just like, ‘It says I’m aiming there but I’m shooting down here? What is going on?’ Fixing some of that too makes it a little bit more fun.”
Meek adds that the new Mako controls are “like night and day” compared to the original, but maybe you’ve retained your muscle memory from over a decade ago and just can’t deal with the new Mako. For those rare and lucky few, BioWare has included an option that won’t throw your Mako game off.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition arrives on May 14. In the meantime, you can download 1.7 GB of free digital Mass Effect stuff from the Legendary Edition website, including the game’s soundtrack, some art books, and two free comics.
