Summary
BioWareis an ongoing game studio dedicated to providing fantastic and immersive RPGs, occasionally verging into other genres such as FPS. It has been going since the mid 90s, and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon with new releases on the horizon.
They have an extensive library boasting titles such asBaldur’s Gate 1and2,Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and, of course, theDragon AgeandMass Effectseries, which they are most known for. All these games are excellent, of course, but even the best games can be made better with mods. These arethe best BioWare games for modding.
After the success of the firstBaldur’s Gategame, a sequel was imminent, and in the year 2000, that is exactly what fans received.Baldur’s Gate 2takes place not long after the events of the first instalment in the series, opening with the player and their companions taken captive. The game was lauded by critics, but time has not been kind to it, making it a bit of a fixer-upper.
One of the biggest issues withBaldur’s Gate 2is the lackluster audio, with criticism levied at vocal performances. While the Enhanced Edition improves the audio, there are also modders who have risen to the challenge, creating mods for new and unique voices.
There are some gamers who might be unaware that beforeLarian got their hands on the IP,Baldur’s Gatewas handled by BioWare. The studio made two classic isometric RPG experiences set in the world and using the lore of the popular TTRPGDungeons and Dragons.
Fans remember the firstBaldur’s Gategame with great nostalgia, with praise often being delivered to the story and the characters, and it showed real promise for an eventual series. One drawback to the otherwise excellent classic is that, as of now, the graphics are very dated. The background, character sprites and character portraits feel too antiquated, which may be a dealbreaker for some gamers who are coming in fromBaldur’s Gate 3. This makesBaldur’s Gateripe for modding, with a dedicated community that has already taken into account the game’s age and made a fantastic range of mods for modernizing its pixelated graphics.
Jade Empireis an original action RPG drawinginspiration from Chinese mythologyand history. Humans and monsters coexist in a fictional location of the same name, ruled by Sun Hai, who serves as the main antagonist that the player character, known as the Spirit Monk, must put a stop to. At its time of release,Jade Empirewas praised for its story, combat, and graphics, but some of these elements have not aged well.
This makesJade Empirea game that is great for modders, as they can help introduce the game to new players by making it a more attractive experience for them. There are many mods to overhaul various textures to help make it look more appealing, as well as increasing the very limited customization options on offer in the core game.
Mass Effect 2is largely considered the best entry in the series yet, with stakes raised even higher as an alien race known as the Collectors are harvesting entire colonies under orders of the Reapers, which gamers know is a sign of the impending machine race invading the galaxy and wiping out all advanced life. The Suicide Mission is one of thebest final missions in gaming history, as no one is safe, not even Shepard.
But, even the best games always have room for improvement, andMass Effect 2could certainly benefit from a healthy modding community, with many modders on Nexus already creating many fantastic mods, such as ones that remove the fuel limit, and unlock romances for all players, regardless of their gender. These mods make small changes, but these small adjustments make the biggest difference.
Mass Effect: Andromedasuffered from a disastrous launch, as the game was riddled with many bugs that dampened many people’s experience and views on the game. It had the potential to be great, set in the Androma galaxy with a new story separate from the Shepard trilogy. It could have been the fresh breath of life in the series, but unfortunately, it fell short of many people’s expectations.
As such,Mass Effect: Andromedais a fantastic project for modders, with hundreds already lending their craft to the game. Passionate fans have created mods that iron out bugs and issues that remain in the game, as well as improving the powers of squad mates who might feel a little weak in combat, and adding new customization options for players to create the Pathfinder of their dreams.
BeforeMass Effect, BioWare worked on thepopular space-faring RPGset in theStar Warsuniverse. An evil Sith by the name of Darth Malak has unleashed a Sith army on the Republic, and all the Jedi who weren’t slaughtered are changing sides. The players' side will be determined by their morality, tracked through options chosen during dialogue.
Knights of the Old Republicstill holds up for the most part despite its age, but it is still a great game for mods. Passionate players have dedicated themselves to creating mods to improve on an already solid game, making small tweaks to the opening to allow players to start as a Jedi or Sith, overhauling the graphics, or even adding hours of fan-made additional content.
Mass Effect
The galaxy is trapped in an endless cycle of extinction. Every 50,000 years, an ancient machine race invades with ruthless efficiency, wiping out all advanced organic civilization. They leave behind only the scattered ruins of technology, and they destroy all evidence of their own existence.
Few believe this ancient legend. You, however, know it to be true. The fight to stop this extinction event has become the most important mission in the galaxy.
And it is your mission. As Commander Shepard of the SS Normandy, take your elite recon squad across a galaxy in turmoil in a desperate race to stop the return of an enemy without mercy. To stop this enemy, you must act without remorse, without hesitation, and outside the limits of the law. Your only imperative is to preserve the safety of civilized life in the galaxy—and at any cost. You must become the tip of the spear of humanity, for you alone know the full extent of what is at stake if you fail.
Most gamers have likely moved onto the Legendary Edition of the series, which combines all three games and DLCs into one neat little package with some much-needed quality of life changes to match the newer hardware players would be running these games on. But, for people who are still playing the individual Steam titles, mods may be necessary to improve players' experiences.
The originalMass Effectnot only has mods dedicated to improving textures, but also enhancing gameplay in regard to controls with both mouseand controller. This makes the original Mass Effectgame one of the best for mods, as it needs more care to turn this flawed masterpiece into a straight-up masterpiece.
Dragon Age: Originsisone of BioWare’s most beloved games, kicking off the popular fantasy RPG series with a bang, as the world of Thedas faces a Blight, a surge of creatures known as Darkspawn spilling up from the underbelly of the world to spread their taint, killing thousands and razing entire villages to the ground. Only warriors known as Grey Wardens are capable of stopping them, and there are only two left in the world.
Alone,Dragon Age:Originsis a wonderful experience players can truly lose themselves in, but its age sometimes shows at the seams. This makesDragon Age: Originsone of the best games for modders to work their magic, giving it a much needed face-lift and tweaks to gameplay so it can even be enjoyed by today’s standards.
