The best (and worst) Mass Effect Legendary Edition party members

The best (and worst) Mass Upshot Legendary Edition party members

(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

Mass Issue Legendary Edition is here, and it'due south the best way to revisit BioWare's beloved serial - or to experience information technology for the first time. Ever since the game debuted, the Tom's Guide staff has spent a lot of time diving dorsum into the adventures of Commander Shepard and their motley coiffure of soldiers, scientists and aliens. And, naturally, we had a lot of opinions on which political party members we liked to bring with united states, and which had to stay backside on the Normandy.

Nosotros asked the Mass Outcome fans on staff to choose their favorite and least-favorite party members from the beginning three games. And, simply to keep things interesting, we stipulated that we couldn't have any repeat characters; anybody had to cull 2 different party members. Here, and then, are the best and worst Mass Effect Legendary Edition party members, according to the Tom's Guide staff. Who was role of Shepard's squad in your game?

Play the all-time Xbox Series X games
Likewise endeavor the best PS5 games
Plus: 15 new movies and Television receiver shows to scout this weekend on Netflix, Apple Television receiver and more

If this is your first time playing through the trilogy, be wary of spoilers below.

James Archer, audio editor

Best: Garrus Vakarian

Garrus is very much introduced as the hero of his ain story: a capable maverick tempered past a strong sense of justice. All the same, Garrus matures into a trusted brother-in artillery, the kind of level-headed-withal-lethal comrade who's always at your side when your allies are idiots, and your enemies are immortal spaceships. His revenge plot in Mass Effect 2 got a little nighttime, merely it felt good to drag him back into the calorie-free, and information technology was heartwarming to hear near him reconnecting with his father in ME3. Who'd have thought that one of the most human characters in the series would have talons and mandibles?

Worst: James Vega

I'll be honest: I had to Google what this guy's proper name was just so I could make fun of him. In a trilogy that seems to tokenize one dull human male person squad-mate per game, Vega isn't the almost lukewarm shade of beige (lamentable, Kaidan). But afterward showing up in ME3, he's just kind of… there. I get that he's supposed to be an audition surrogate for new players, but this doesn't quite work, because the narrative is never told from his perspective. And in a ship total of likable allies with interesting, often shared stories, the near fascinating thing about Vega is his improbably wide cervix.

Shabana Arif, news editor

Best: Mordin Solus

Putting aside anybody's favorite Mass Upshot character (and love of my life) Garrus, Mordin Solus is next in line to take up the drape of the series' nearly outstanding character. A scientist through and through, Mordin has a tendency to act in favor of the greater good, regardless of the consequences. He also played a significant role in perpetuating the deadly Krogan genophage. Only nosotros all brand mistakes, and Mordin somewhen redeems himself past beavering abroad on a cure. Of grade, that makes it all the more devastating when he sacrifices himself to ensure the Krogans are cured — an unavoidable fate, which no amount of walkthrough-reading could offer an alternative to. If you spent time with Mordin aboard the Normandy, the absolute heartbreak of his final moments becomes even more tragic when he starts singing his Gilbert and Sullivan "Scientist Salarian" ditty. If you feel similar bawling your eyes out, my fellow Paragon Shepherds tin can relive his final moments right here .

Worst: Thane Krios

Thane. Where to even begin with this guy? There are a slew of annoying characters in Mass Effect, from space racist Ashley Williams, to Kaiden Alenko, my first honey, and an absolute arse who fabricated Shepard's death and subsequent resurrection all about him.

But my dislike for Thane is simply based on the fact that he's so incredibly slow. So much so, in fact, that I totally blanked on his proper noun when we were discussing this article. Henceforth known as "the cadger conflicting guy who dies in the infirmary," the prospect of hanging out with a cool-as-a-cucumber assassinator seemed so alluring. Putting aside his ridiculous justification for how he reconciles his spirituality with his profession, exploring the romance prospects with the Drell (a girl needs options!) just confirmed what a wet lettuce he is. I retrieve Thane giving off serious Respond Guy vibes that put me correct off pursuing him. Coupled with his overall zen schtick, he'south merely a flake much — while simultaneously offering very little. The most boring paradox ever.

Marshall Honorof, senior editor

Best: Tali'Zorah nar Rayya

Call her Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, or Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, or fifty-fifty just Tali. But no matter what you telephone call her, Tali is a steadfast friend and ally for the whole Mass Effect trilogy, also as a crack shot in combat and a brilliant engineer exterior of it. On her ain, Tali is charming and sincere - part adorkable tech geek, and role conflicted adventurer from a race of bitter survivors. Where Tali really shines, though, is as a member of the mysterious and tragic Quarian race, who have already lost the all-time part of their civilization to a synthetic race, and tin can't behave to let it happen over again. Whether you romance Tali or go along it platonic, she'southward a friend you'll want by your side for all three games.

Worst: Zaeed Massani

At the risk of hedging my criticisms, I don't really dislike Zaeed Massani. In fact, I included him in my political party quite oftentimes, appreciating his excellent combat skills, his gruff demeanor and his magnetic functioning by the late, great Robin Sachs. No, my issues with Zaeed are purely of a petty and personal nature.

Late in Mass Result 2, Shepard and their party embark on an impossible "suicide mission," where y'all assign various political party members to head upward specialized strike teams. During the course of the game, Zaeed went on and on about all the impossible missions he pulled off as a mercenary team leader, and I figured, "Yes, that's the guy." But, every bit it turns out, Zaeed is all talk, and putting him in charge led to Tali getting shot in the head. That's what I get for taking old war stories seriously.

Rory Mellon, staff author

All-time: Urdnot Wrex

Wrex is one of the first team-mates introduced in Mass Effect. After you encounter the mercenary tracking a target on the Citadel, he agrees to join forces and in turn, come aboard the Normandy. Even putting to ane side that the Krogans are by far the best alien species in the entire franchise from a blueprint perspective, Wrex stands out from the offset.

The hardened bounty hunter slowly opens up as he observes Shepard's combat prowess. Eventually, he'll tell yous the tragic backstory of not just the Krogan race, only of his fallout with his own father. At this signal, why the big guy presents such a gruff exterior starts to become articulate. Underneath that thick armor and leathery skin, there's a genuine heart of gold. It'southward but buried very deep.

I'm not aback to admit it: I reloaded my salve file to replay that scene on Virmire. A Mass Effect universe without Wrex is one my Shepard refuses to live in.

Worst: Jacob Taylor

While some squad-mates in the Mass Effect trilogy are bad, most of them have at least one memorable quality or scene. Jacob has none. He's a complete non-entity for the entirety of Mass Issue two and 3. (Mercifully, we are spared his presence in the offset game.)

It'south mandatory to take him equally a squad-mate for the opening section of Mass Effect 2. Merely I'd bet a non-insignificant amount of money that the majority of players swapped Jacob out of the party the 2nd they were able.

Even Jacob'southward loyalty mission does very little to make you care about him, When I go to my Legendary Edition replay of the 2d game, I'thousand seriously considering just skipping it, and letting him die on the suicide mission. Sad Jacob, but in this case, I'd happily get out a homo behind.

Roland Moore-Colyer, UK editor

Best: Miranda Lawson

On the surface Miranda seems like a character who's all nearly tight-fitting costumes, femme fatale sex activity entreatment and little else. But ignore how the original ME2 drew focus to Miranda's rear, and dig into her story and background. In that location, y'all'll find a nuanced and interesting character. Non only has Miranda been engineered to look the style she does, just her character arc - from being cold toward Shepard, to existence a reliable offset officeholder - is subtly intriguing. It feels like one of the more realistic stories of the sci-fi infinite opera. And come Mass Effect iii, you detect that her story arc leads to one of the darkest, and even so nearly interesting, segments in the game. Liara will always exist at my Shepherd's side, merely Miranda is the colleague and friend he wants when the proverbial manure hits the FTL bulldoze.

Worst: EDI

Information technology would be piece of cake to pick the meathead James Vega or tiresome duo Kaidan and Jacob as my least favorite characters. But EDI is i of my least favorite characters in a more subtle style. EDI's story and evolution is great, simply something rubbed me the wrong way she was placed in what'south basically a sexy robot accommodate. Miranda had lore behind her looks, while EDI's concrete presence seemed more to appeal to brawny gamers. I much preferred when EDI was in virtual course, particularly as voice actor Tricia Helfer gave the floating ball a surprising degree of heft. EDI was too a scrap useless in combat, meaning I didn't employ her that often in my squad. Maybe if I gave her more of a risk, I'd warm up to her a little more. I guess that'due south a compelling reason to give Mass Event Legendary Edition a go.

Jordan Palmer, phones editor

All-time: Liara T'Soni

Liara starts off the Mass Outcome trilogy as an innocent, naïve archaeologist who helps Shepard out of professional curiosity. But when Shepard is resurrected in Mass Issue 2, she has suddenly become a powerful, confident information broker. Gone is the "immature girl" of the previous game, and she refuses to join Shepard's fight against the Collectors due to her new responsibilities. But when you lot assist her overthrow the Shadow Banker — allowing her to have his place — a petty of the old Liara shines through. Liara is a fan-favorite party member for her down-to-earth nature and curiosity, simply besides for her force of grapheme and loyalty to her friends. I love having her (and Garrus) beside me every bit I have on the Reapers.

Worst: Kaidan Alenko

Kaidan is up in that location with Jacob and James as my least favorite character in the entire Mass Effect trilogy. He's bland — dare I say milquetoast — and an absolute diameter of a character. He'south not even that useful in combat. I fabricated the decision in one playthrough years ago to save him instead of Ashley on Virmire, and I regretted it. Once he comes effectually once again in Mass Consequence 3, he'south a party fellow member I refuse to interact with. (I kinda wished he'd simply stay in the infirmary on the Citadel.) Ever since that sick-conceived playthrough, I always choose Ashley, who's grown on me over the years. Kaidan has trivial depth and seems to lack the drive to do, well, anything. At to the lowest degree his voice actor, Raphael Sbarge, gives a good functioning.

Marshall Honorof is a senior editor for Tom'due south Guide, overseeing the site's coverage of gaming hardware and software. He comes from a science writing background, having studied paleomammalogy, biological anthropology, and the history of science and applied science. After hours, you tin can find him practicing taekwondo or doing deep dives on classic sci-fi.