Stellaris meets Mass Effect
Mass Effect: Beyond the Relays Mod is a mod created by Binary Helix for the space strategy game Stellaris. This utility takes the Milky Way Galaxy as depicted in the Mass Effect series and integrates it into the 4X gameplay of Stellaris. It’s a total conversion of the base game.
Mass Effect: Beyond the Relays Mod features a galaxy consisting of 381 custom solar systems, all crafted based on lore references in the ME series, comics, fanfics, and the EGM - Expanded Galaxy Mod. It boasts one of the most accurate representations of the Mass Relay Network to date.
A perfect fusion
Mass Effect and Stellaris are both sci-fi games that send players into a galactic adventure but have vastly different gameplay. The ME games are cover-based RPG shooters, meanwhile Stellaris is a grand strategy game that is less concerned about telling a story. Still, both games have galactic conflict as a central theme, and this is why Mass Effect: Beyond the Relays Mod works so well.
This ambitious mod recreates the Milky Way Galaxy as depicted in the ME franchise by crafting 381 solar systems and a Mass Relay Network. It also features two game modes, one of which follows the canon story of Mass Effect, taking place just after the First Contact War. Players will start with lore-accurate colonies, technologies, and fleets, effectively recreating the Mass Effect universe as a 4X game.
This is a huge mod, and while Binary Helix has done its best to eliminate bugs, issues inevitably remain. Aside from needing more polish, the mod has a tendency to stop working when Stellaris receives new updates, especially a major one. The devs immediately work to fix the mod when this happens, but it’s likely to break again in future Stellaris updates.
Is it worth playing?
If you’re a fan of the Mass Effect games and enjoy 4X games, then it's absolutely worth playing. The devs put a lot of effort into recreating the Milky Way Galaxy as accurately as possible. The new game mode gives you a different perspective on canon events in the ME universe. However, you should keep in mind the mod might experience problems or stop working when Stellaris receives an update.
