Becker College Game Design Ranking

All 16 BioWare Games, Ranked Worst to Best

We've Ranked Them All

When it comes to role-playing games, few developers are as legendary as BioWare. From genre-defining staples like Baldur's Gate and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic to modern classics like Mass Effect and Dragon Age, this Canadian studio has a knack for creating immersive, imaginative universes in which your choices affect the world around you. Now that the developer is branching out into the world of persistent online shooters with the hotly anticipated Anthem, we've looked back at BioWare's storied catalog and ranked every game from worst to best.

Credit: Electronic Arts

Mass Effect Andromeda

Oh, what could have been. Mass Effect Andromeda was meant to be the franchise's grand debut on current-gen platforms, promising a stunning new graphics engine and a fresh storyline set in an all-new galaxy. What we got instead was a disappointing, middling action-RPG birthed out of one of the most tumultuous development cycles in all of modern gaming.

You play as Ryder, an explorer tasked with leaving the Milky Way to find a new home for humanity in the Andromeda galaxy. Despite the promising setup, Andromeda delivers a dull story that reverts back to the tired "bipedal aliens are trying to kill you" storyline and lacks the memorable squad mates that made the original Mass Effect trilogy so special. Andromeda isn't without its bright spots; its nimble combat system is arguably the best in the series, and it can look quite gorgeous (when it's not bugging out). But for a game that had so much riding on it, being decent just wasn't enough. BioWare's Casey Hudson has teased that there's more to come for the franchise, and let's hope that's the case. Mass Effect doesn't deserve to go out like this. — Mike Andronico

Credit: Electronic Arts

Shattered Steel

Before BioWare became synonymous with Western RPGs, it made its debut in 1996 with this mech simulation game. You pilot a giant bipedal robot and battle for survival in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, with notable features for the time that included 16-person multiplayer and destroyable terrain. Shattered Steel may not look like much these days, but it was received fairly well at the time of its release, with many reviewers calling it a fun, simpler take on the genre popularized by games like MechWarrior.— Mike Andronico

Credit: Interplay Productions

MDK 2

Another game you'd be surprised came from BioWare, MDK 2 is a goofy third-person sci-fi shooter that lets you play as space soldier Kurt Hectic, scientist Fluke Hawkins and Max, a genetically engineered robot dog with a knack for firearms. The game earned big praise for its creative use of each character's unique mechanics, solid controls and slick art style, which is quite impressive considering that this was one of BioWare's first true 3D action games. When you look at the acrobatic gunplay in newer titles like Mass Effect: Andromeda and Anthem, you can see a glimpse of where it all began in MDK 2. — Mike Andronico

Credit: Interplay

Star Wars: The Old Republic

Star Wars: The Old Republic was an incredibly ambitious project, aiming to bring BioWare's Star Wars series to the massively multiplayer online RPG realm without sacrificing the storytelling and sense of player choice that made the franchise so special. And in many ways, it succeeded, with polished cutscenes, tons of playable classes that you could take to the light or dark side, and a range of subsequent expansions that explored exciting corners of the Star Wars universe. The Old Republic's player base has wavered since the game launched in 2011, and it's not going to satisfy anyone looking for a single-player experience akin to the original KoToR. But the game is free to play and absolutely worth giving a shot for anyone who misses BioWare's take on the galaxy far, far away. — Mike Andronico

Credit: LucasArts

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

BioWare rarely produces an out-and-out misfire, but Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood was never quite at ease with itself. This stand-alone RPG for the Nintendo DS featured Sonic the Hedgehog and his much-derided cast of supporting characters in a decidedly dark story, reminiscent of BioWare's other morally gray worlds. Seeing Sonic and the crew get fleshed out with good writing and a lengthy campaign was fun; the game even made Shadow the Hedgehog, Rouge the Bat, Cream the Rabbit and Big the Cat downright tolerable. But the turn-based battle system leaned way too heavily on tedious minigames, and Sonic's happy-go-lucky demeanor always felt a little at odds with the dystopian narrative. I'll go to bat for Sonic Chronicles any day, but it's not as good as BioWare gets. — Marshall Honorof

Credit: Sega

Neverwinter Nights

It's hard to judge Neverwinter Nights as a single title; in practice, it was almost two separate, unrelated games. On the one hand, there's the bog-standard single-player campaign, which was a huge step down from BioWare's earlier Baldur's Gate series. Yes, you could make your own custom character with the intricate Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 rule set, incorporating all the feats, skills and combat maneuvers therein. But you could recruit only one forgettable party member at a time, while the story was full of clichéd characters and ugly environments. However, the game also had a masterful multiplayer component: a deep but approachable campaign-creation tool, which let you create any D&D scenario you could imagine. You could even get a whole group of players together and act as a Dungeon Master in real time for them, guiding them through your adventure with customized traps and monsters. — Marshall Honorof

Credit: Beamdog

Dragon Age II

The red-headed stepchild of the Dragon Age series was not nearly as bad as detractors would have you believe — but it's not nearly as good as the first or third games, either. In this game, you take control of Hawke, a human of noble origins who must make a new home for himself or herself in the bustling city of Kirkwall. Dragon Age II features fleshed-out party members and a personal, picaresque story all about Hawke's family. But the combat is a little too streamlined after the deep strategic options in Dragon Age: Origins, the environments get reused way too often, and the ending goes a little wonky, regardless of your story choices. Dragon Age II at least tried something new, even if it didn't fully work. — Marshall Honorof

Credit: Electronic Arts

Baldur's Gate

Baldur's Gate wasn't the first BioWare game, but it was the first title that modern audiences would probably recognize as a BioWare game. In this Dungeons & Dragons adaptation, you create an adventurer, then set off into the Forgotten Realms on a grand quest. Along the way, you'll recruit a diverse party, best fantastical creatures in combat and make narrative choices that can shape the fate of the Sword Coast. The game was a little rough by today's standards, with unbalanced difficulty and relatively few ways to interact with your party members. But the deep gameplay, approachable interface and strong story still hold up well, and you can even transfer your character right into Baldur's Gate II once you're done. — Marshall Honorof

Credit: Beamdog

Dragon Age: Inquisition

Dragon Age: Inquisition showcased both the best and worst of BioWare. The game boasted a large, unforgettable cast of characters and a plethora of ways you could interact with them. But then, those characters inhabited a forgettable, lifeless story with an underwhelming villain. The world was huge, interesting, varied — and absolutely filled to the brim with mindless busywork, which required some very awkward platforming to finish. Combat was rich with skills and strategies, but the game was not very good at telling players which enemies would be pushovers and which would be impossible. Still, Dragon Age: Inquisition earned some genuine fondness from gamers, particularly for its excellent Trespasser DLC, which (finally!) took some daring risks with the story and setting. — Marshall Honorof

Credit: Electronic Arts

Mass Effect 3

Don't let all the hubbub about the ending distract you — Mass Effect 3 is awesome. This epic sci-fi role-playing romp closes out the trilogy in grand fashion, delivering equally big on both unforgettable character moments and big action set pieces as the world-swallowing Reapers finally take the fight to Earth. While the game's final moments took some puzzling turns, each individual character that we'd been spending years getting to know got one hell of an emotional send-off throughout the course of this meaty space opera. The fact that BioWare threw in an addicting co-op multiplayer mode was just icing on the cake. Mass Effect 3 might be remembered mostly for its controversial ending, but the adventure that leads up to that finish is one of the finest that BioWare's ever delivered. — Mike Andronico

Credit: Electronic Arts

Jade Empire

When I think of Jade Empire, I think of the time I spent agonizing over every choice, particularly when I made it to the emperor and had to decide whether to spare him. But those choices made my journey that much more enjoyable — and playing in a fantasy world borrowing heavily from Chinese mythology was already pretty kick-ass. As the Spirit Monk, I gathered and romanced followers, fought back the forces of evil using the game's fluid combat system, and learned some serious secrets about myself and my place in the world. The game has three possible endings, which will give gamers ample time to appreciate the solid writing and beautiful world BioWare carefully created. — Sherri L. Smith

Credit: Microsoft Studios

Dragon Age: Origins

BioWare made a name for itself producing Dungeons & Dragons adaptations. That's all well and good, but how would the company fare when it had to develop its very own setting from scratch? Pretty well, if the Dragon Age series is any indication. Dragon Age: Origins kicked off BioWare's high-fantasy franchise in style, telling the story of the Grey Warden, a warrior destined to sacrifice his or her life in a quest to stop the relentless Darkspawn and their corrupted Archdemon. Right from the start, Dragon Age: Origins gives you a plethora of options. Will you play as a noble human warrior, an isolated elven mage, a commoner dwarven rogue or something completely different? Add a memorable cast, a demanding combat system and a morally gray world rife with tough choices, and you've got one of BioWare's better titles. — Marshall Honorof

Credit: Electronic Arts

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Ask anyone what their favorite Star Wars game is, and there's a solid 75 percent chance they'll answer with Knights of the Old Republic. Set thousands of years before the films, this classic immersed fans in the galaxy far, far away like no game before it. You could explore a thriving Republic in which your choices affect the world around you — and push you closer to the light or dark side of the force. You'll travel to iconic locations such as Tatooine and Kashyyyk as you battle Darth Malak and his Sith armada in a gripping crusade that leads to what is still one of the most jaw-dropping twists in all of video games. Knights of the Old Republic is what put BioWare on the map for many, and it remains a must-play for any fan of Star Wars or role-playing games. — Mike Andronico

Credit: LucasArts

Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

Baldur's Gate II may be the greatest game BioWare ever produced — but if not, it's at least the most ambitious. This is the game that set the modern standard for what a Western RPG should be, as almost everything that gamers associate with the best of BioWare originated in this title. Talkative party members who react to your decisions, intricate side quests that span the length of the game, an unforgettable villain who pushes your protagonist to his or her limits — Baldur's Gate II has all these features, and more. You can slay ancient dragons, court beautiful elves, explore forbidden cities, forge spectacular weapons and save the Forgotten Realms — or ravage them in pursuit of ultimate power. Either way, it's not a journey you'll forget anytime soon. — Marshall Honorof

Credit: Beamdog

Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect 2 was everything you could want in a sequel; it was bigger, bolder (seriously, you get blown out of space in the first 10 minutes) and more polished in every way. The improved graphics and tighter combat were nice, but Mass Effect 2 truly stands out due to an unforgettable cast of characters that includes returning favorites like Garrus and Tali as well as newcomers like Jack, Thane and Legion. Throughout the course of the game, you can complete special loyalty quests for each of these characters. These were designed to up your chances of surviving the game's final suicide mission to save the galaxy, but they also provided some of the most memorable and intimate moments the franchise has seen. Mass Effect 2 turned a few fans off with its focus on action over role playing, and that final boss was kind of boring, but the experience of building a misfit squad of lovable space soldiers in the face of certain death is one I'll never forget. — Mike Andronico

Credit: Electronic Arts

Mass Effect

FEM SHEP!!! The title that launched one of the greatest trilogies in gaming delivered a vast new world filled with intrigue, betrayal and heroism. The story was tight and compelling, and the action, while repetitive, was fun and offered a range of unique classes and abilities. And the cast of characters you meet during your intergalactic sojourn is varied and diverse, giving you so many options. Do you romance Garrus, Kaiden or Liara? But the thing that makes Mass Effect stand out as one of the crown jewels in BioWare crown is the morality system. Your actions as a paragon or a renegade set the stage for your interactions in the next installment, and this setup made me that much more invested in my choices and my Shep. — Sherri L. Smith

Credit: Electronic Arts