6 Greatest BioWare Games of All Time

BioWare has been releasing games since 1996, when it launched Shattered Steel, a mech simulation action game that was published by Interplay on PC. Since then, the developer has become well-known for some of the best RPGs in the history of the genre. While BioWare has absolutely dropped off over the last decade, the studio was on a generational run through the late ’90s and ’00s. With so many great games from several series, it’s tough to pick BioWare’s best games ever. That said, six games stand out from the pack, bringing that extra dose of BioWare magic to the table.

Here are the six best BioWare games of all time.

6) Mass Effect

Mass Effect was one of BioWare’s first efforts to make a game using its own IP. Technically, Jade Empire was the first, but that game launched late in the original Xbox’s life cycle, and most players unfortunately missed it. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case for Mass Effect.

BioWare’s space epic was deeply ambitious, billed as the first entry in a massive trilogy. That let the developers give players plenty of choices that didn’t just affect Mass Effect‘s story, but would continue into its sequels. Even if the end result didn’t quite live up to expectations, you can’t deny that Mass Effect started with a bang, giving BioWare one of its most successful series.

5) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

As mentioned, BioWare made its bones working in other creators’ worlds. That doesn’t mean they didn’t tell stories of their own, but Knights of the Old Republic benefits from the long legacy of Star Wars.

While some might prefer Obsidian’s sequel, the first KOTOR was another standout hit for BioWare. The end twist was jaw-dropping, completely surprising players at the time. And some of the characters (particularly Darth Revan) became so popular that we’d see them appear in future Star Wars projects like The Clone Wars animated series.

4) Baldur’s Gate

BioWare’s second game was Baldur’s Gate, which takes place in the Forgotten Realms, a high fantasy campaign in Dungeons and Dragons. It was the first game to make use of the Infinity Engine, which would go on to serve as the backbone for other hit RPGs, including Icewind Dale and Planescape: Torment.

Beyond that, Baldur’s Gate was a massive sales hit for BioWare. The RPG was the seventh-highest-grossing computer game of 1999, proving PC fans were more than ready to dive into the genre en masse. It earned top scores across the board and helped revive RPGs on PC. An astounding achievement from BioWare, that was only the beginning of its run at the top.

3) Dragon Age: Origins

Dragon Age: Origins was BioWare’s take on fantasy that didn’t use the D&D system. As with Mass Effect and Jade Empire, BioWare wanted something it could call its own, and Dragon Age perfectly captured that medieval fantasy setting.

While future games in the series would take gameplay in a more action-oriented direction, Origins is deeply tactical. You need to carefully plan each interaction to make sure you come out on top. Plus, Origins still has the best selection of companion characters in the series. It’s too bad BioWare’s never been able to top this first entry.

2) Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn

If you thought the first Baldur’s Gate was well-received, the sequel came along and improved nearly every aspect. While its total sales were relatively similar, most reviewers and players agreed that it was a step up, awarding it with tons of awards at the end of 2000.

A lot of that praise comes from it being a more polished version of the first game. Combat is streamlined in important ways, adding more strategic depth while tossing aside most of its more frustrating aspects. The UI was cleaner, making it easier to get into the good stuff. And the main story was even more compelling than the original. We never got to see BioWare’s next take on Baldur’s Gate, but Larian Studios did a bang-up job with BG3.

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Mass Effect 2 had the unenviable task of following up on the excellent first game, while also proving that BioWare could deliver on its promise of choices made in one game affecting the next. Thankfully, BioWare mostly knocked both tasks out of the park.

The second Mass Effect game was a huge step up in the gameplay department, streamlining many of the first game’s issues, while putting a heavier focus on action. You also now have access to various skills, giving you even more tactical decisions during a firefight.

Some players will prefer the companions of the first game, but ME2 introduced players to fan favorites like Miranda Lawson, Mordin Solus, and Thane Krios, among several others, while bringing back classic characters like Garrus Vakarian and Tali’Zorah. Personally, I’d always love more Urdnot Wrex, but what can you do?

However, the real standout of Mass Effect 2 is the suicide mission. It put your relationships to the test in a way that felt perfectly natural to the story, giving you real consequences for your choices. That set the stage for an epic conclusion in Mass Effect 3, which BioWare didn’t quite nail, but we all had a ball getting there.

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