A dedicated Mass Effect player tried to beat the game for an entire run without using Mako at all. While the Mako isn’t a Mass Effect fan favorite, it’s still an important utility in the original game.
The Mako remains one of the most controversial features in the series, with Mass Effect : Legendary Edition having improved Mako controls due to fans’ disdain for the original. It was so unpopular that it was removed entirely in Mass Effect 2 and 3, only appearing as a set piece in the rest of the trilogy. In Mass Effect : Andromeda, where Mako was replaced by Nomad, BioWare finally seemed to remove the clumsiness of the controls, to the delight of fans everywhere. Even with the controls, it’s hard to imagine playing the original Mass Effect without them.
A video from popular YouTuber Big Dan Gaming shows off their attempt to beat the original Mass Effect without using Mako. First of all, the job is going well. Therum was a breeze, and they managed to hold off Noveria’s cold, although it took much longer than usual. Even the world of Feros and Virmire is running smoothly. In Iros, the game caused some serious problems for the players. While it mostly works, the ending of Ilos involves a race against time in Mako, where players must reach the Conduit before it closes. Of course, on this run, it was impossible to arrive in time, and the mission ended in failure. It answers the question once and for all – no, it’s impossible to beat Mass Effect without Mako, but players can get pretty close.
Challenge runs of classic games are always an interesting point to watch, as they’re often the best way to offer a fresh perspective on games that many feel have little left to offer the gaming community. Mass Effect was particularly difficult because BioWare didn’t offer many options for players to tweak, so any limitations had to be imposed entirely on their own. The Fallout: New Vegas player playing as Ronald Reagan beats the game RPG is a perfect example of a great challenge that demonstrates the versatility of many RPGs.
As of now, it’s unclear if BioWare plans to have Mako play a role in the upcoming Mass Effect 4. The developers are keeping tight-lipped about the project, which has been under active development for several years. While Mako has been shown in some early trailers, the game is still a long way from its final release, so anything could change between now and then.
Mass Effect : Legendary Edition is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.