BioWare’s 10 Best Games: Ranked
Even with the moderate success of its recent releases like Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Bioware is still far from recreating the gems of its golden era. Since being acquired by EA in 2007, the developer has had more misses than hits as new releases failed to recapture the charm of the originals, alienating many gamers along the way. However, Bioware is still synonymous with some of North America’s best-ever RPGs, including sacred classics like Baldur’s Gate.
From the best combat games like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic to timeless interstellar adventures like Mass Effect, here is a look at the 10 games that put Bioware map.
10. Mass Effect (2007)
“A rogue soldier leads an unstoppable force across the galaxy, and only you stand in his way.” This is the memorable speech that introduced Mass Effect to gamers, and it still sounds fresh nearly two decades later. Composed by Jack Wall, the game allows players to take the role of Commander Sheppard and stop the Reapers from destroying civilization. While it didn’t have the best mechanics and visuals, the game’s character-building and gentle learning curve are unmatched.
9. Neverwinter Nights (2002)
This is another gem whose impact on Dungeons and Dragons RPG gaming has never been fully appreciated. Neverwinter Nights introduced one of the most advanced toolsets in the genre, with unmatched visuals and pacing. The game allowed players to create their own adventures in both single and multiplayer modes with tools that were way ahead of the game’s time. Simple player interaction sequences such as celebration and customization also made the game appealing to avid gamers, leading to its enduring fame.
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8. Mass Effect 3 (2012)
The game that concluded Commander Shepard’s storyline didn’t stray too far from the original, although the initial ending wasn’t the best. In the game, players guide Shepard on multiple missions aimed at rallying to save the Milky Way Galaxy from the Reaper invasion. The game features refined combat mechanics, visuals, and an equally deep story. It wasn’t the dream ending to the trilogy, but Mass Effect 3 still lived up to player expectations as far as mechanics and aesthetics are concerned, making it one of Bioware’s best games.
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7. Jade Empire (2005)
The Jade Empire is another RPG masterpiece that earned legendary status mostly because of its perfect blend of East Asian Culture into an aesthetically appealing game world. In the game, players take the identity of the Spirit Monk and accomplish missions to save the order’s kidnapped leader and defeat its enemies. While the game could have used better pacing, the creativity was ahead of its time.
6. Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014)
Dragon Age: Inquisition is one of the few hits Bioware has had since the EA acquisition. The game features some of the best world-building of any RPG game of the 2010s. In the game, players continue the mission of the Inquisitor, a warrior tasked with bringing civility back to Thedas and closing a tear that allows demons and monsters to come through. It has aged well, with a well-received addition of open-world features, pacing, and story depth that still impresses gamers.
5. Dragon Age: Origins (2009)
This is one of the best Bioware games produced after the EA takeover, capturing the essence of two of the publisher’s best games, Baldur’s Gate and Neverwinter Nights. The game pitches players, as Grey Wardens, against a demon invasion of the fictional kingdom of Ferelden known as Darkspawn. The game’s highlight is its deep, epic storyline full of magic and monsters and appealing aesthetics. Moreover, it retains Bioware’s player-customization freedom, allowing players to interact with the game world on their own terms.
4. Baldur’s Gate (1998)
Baldur’s Gate is the game that put Bioware on the map after revitalizing RPGs, putting the genre back in the limelight. In the game, players combat multiple enemies as they build a team along the coast to accomplish more missions. Despite the simplicity of the visuals, the game had a solid storyline with a well-built game world that has turned the Sword Coast into one of the most iconic features of RPG gaming. Nearly three decades later, even as a free game, Baldur’s Gate remains one of the best classical games of all time.
3. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003)
This is the best of the greats as far as Star Wars games are concerned. The game allows players to suit up as a Jedi armed with a lightsaber to go after a vengeful Sith Lord, Malak, to stop him and his army from destroying the Galactic Republic. KOTOR’s world-building was a total masterclass, with multiple uniquely designed quests that players just can’t get enough of. A remake of the game has been in the works for years, although the original one remains a playable classic.
2. Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows Of Amn (2000)
It may not be as popular today as some of its successors, but back in the day, Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows Of Amn was one of the best WRPGs. It is another game based in the Dungeons and Dragons world where players navigate richly detailed quests. Its non-linear storyline set a trend that has shaped the genre over the years. It has since been overtaken by modern versions of Baldur’s Gate, but its legacy still holds.
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1. Mass Effect 2 (2010)
Mass Effects 2 features a slower pacing than the rest of the entries in the original trilogy, but it is the one Bioware game that gets pretty much everything right. It features Commander Shepard as he assembles a team to stop the Collectors from destroying humanity. Besides getting more versions of Shepard, the game features an expanded storyline that allows players to own its intricate world. Mass Effects 2 masterfully retains the adventurous spirit of the franchise with its third-person shooting mechanics and branching dialogue.
